


A Hundred Children; A Hundred Stones

by candy_floss_consumer



Series: A Different Wave [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: !Update Schedule in Bio!, And Not Always In Good Situations, Burying the Dead, Character Growth, Complete, Did I Mention Character Growth?, Exuberantly, Finally Some... Less Death-Related Bonding, Flowerbed Friends, Genesis Haruno Sakura, Genius Haruno Sakura, Haruno Clan - Freeform, Haruno Sakura Is A Descendent of Islanders, Haruno Sakura-centric, I Am Perfectly Aware That They Are Basically Teenagers, I Did But Here It Is Again: Character Growth, Kakashi Has Let Loose the Pack, Kakashi Is THIS Close To Letting Loose The Pack, Konohagakure Is In Fire Country, Lichtenberg-Figuren, Lightning Scars, Melodies of Rivers, Mokuton User Haruno Sakura, More Like Nature Loves Her, Naruto Has Moana Skin Tones, No beta we die like Neji, Now A Podfic on YouTube, Oops More Bonding, Other, Rivals for Love I Think the Frick Not, Rivals in Skill I Think the Frick Yes, Sakura Lives In Shinobi Apartments, Sakura’s Nindō, Song of Storms, Sorry But Minato’s Lily White Skin Is Not a Dominant Trait, Strong Haruno Sakura, Team Bonding, The Cost of Forgiveness, The Wonder Chūnin Duo Are Her Neighbors, They Are Babies Because I Love Them, Trio of Baby Badasses, Trio of EMOTIONALLY STUNTED Baby Badasses, Uh-Oh-Sphaghetti-Os The Hokage IS TIRED, User?, Uzamaki Naruto Is A Descendent of Islanders, Wave arc AU, What Do You Mean None of Them Are Brown, You Know Moana?, You are WRONG, inspired fic, so much bonding, very wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23790334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/candy_floss_consumer/pseuds/candy_floss_consumer
Summary: “A hundred stones sink beneath the waves, imperfect and uneven kanji chipped into them by an unpracticed hand. The owners only recently buried as ash and dust beneath a mixture of coarse dirt and sand. And then Sakura, a girl who has long since known how to bury her dead, the one behind it all.”[A Different Wave: Book One]Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"-Cross-Posted to Wattpad under @candy-floss-consumer
Series: A Different Wave [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748218
Comments: 137
Kudos: 937
Collections: Gammily’s Bookshelf, Konoha Collection, Real Good Shit, Strong BAMF Sakura





	1. Three Hours

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy reading. If you don't, then please just leave quietly. Thank you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It is three hours after their encounter with Zabuza, and Team Seven has dispersed throughout Tazuna’s house. Kakashi lies healing in an upstairs room, the boys are training, and Sakura? Sakura wanders into town.”

**_The_ ** house is quiet. Not completely, as the ocean wind still cycles through every open window and door, but even the creaking of their hinges feels empty. They feel… lost. Sakura can barely stand it. She can taste the salt on her tongue just by breathing in. Though she’s not sure if the taste is just from her vain tears instead. Her chest pulses in pain from beneath her ribs. They haven’t even been at the old man’s house a day since the fight with Zabuza---in fact, it had only been a few hours. It kept her bout of uselessness glued into her mind, reminding her at every turn of thought that she hadn’t helped in the slightest. In fact, she might as well have been a hindrance. Sakura takes another deep, shuddering breath in, almost choking on the salt in the air. She had to get up. She had to  _ move. _

Sakura doesn’t waste time getting up from the tatami mat; her feet land squarely on the grass a foot beneath the wooden porch. She couldn’t sit there any longer with her sensei’s chakra signature wheezing and flickering at the very center of her sensory range. It hurt to know he was in pain. It hurt even more that she was basically the cause of that pain. She wished she was stronger, more useful. Sakura closed her eyes, taking a slow but shallow breath. Her feet began moving. Down unfamiliar paths and old treads that had long been walked by the inhabitants of Wave. Roadside brush and sharp plants cut at her ankles as she walks, but Sakura can barely feel the sting of it. Her eyes are hollow, the cavity in her ribs filled with a heavy weight she has felt before. Just never with this sort of consequence.

Before she knows it, Sakura has reached the town they passed on the way to the old man’s house. She notes the shabby market, the hollowness of the people’s skin, and the bodies that line the roads. Half of them look as if they are not breathing. The echo within her mind ascertains that they aren’t. Sakura walks forwards, half abortive as she goes. Upon closer inspection, most of the bodies are of children. Sakura’s heart stutters while her echo supplies countless stories and reasons why. It is unnecessary. Sakura already knows all the reasons why dead children are lining the streets with no-one saying anything about it. Wave is a poor country. Suffering loss and crippled greatly by the noose tightened around them by Gato and his company. Parents are the first to go. They flee in the panic, forgetting their children and their belongings. Children are next. With no provider, they are left to wither and pass. Sakura pauses a moment. No. The ones that are truly first to go are the street rats. The orphans and runaways that tried to make something of themselves.

When Sakura picks up the first body, no-one stops her. A few raise or turn their heads, but ultimately they ignore the strange, pink-haired shinobi messing with corpses. Maybe they think it’s normal. Maybe they are afraid. Sakura laughs at herself slightly at the thought. No-one has ever been afraid of her. She cradles the cold child to her chest. They are five, seven at best. She can feel the warmth leeching from her bones. However, Sakura refuses to stop. A half-formed purpose has formed into her mind. She may be useless as a shinobi, a kunoichi. She may be unable to protect the old man or teammates. She may be unable to free these people from that tyrant’s grasp. But Sakura knows how to respect the dead. She knows how to name the unnamed, how to carve into stone. How to burn what is left so that the kami may receive the lost fully. Sakura is a Haruno, and she  _ knows  _ loss.

Team Seven may have no purpose for Sakura, but that’s okay. She has long since learned how to give herself meaning. A tear slips from her cheek and splashes onto the body within her arms.  _ And she will burn and bury every lost person in this town before she leaves. _ Her mind made up, Sakura channels a small amount of chakra to her nose, scenting inconspicuously for the stench of a cemetery. Instead, she catches a whiff of decay and bones and sets her feet moving again. It takes her maybe twenty minutes to get there. Her eyes take in the area, unbelieving. It was barely on the outskirts of town. She sets the child down very carefully. Then she bolts for the bushes, losing whatever it was that she had eaten beforehand. Sakura heaves harshly, acid burning her lips and throat. She doesn’t know when she finally stops, but she falls firmly on her ass. Her legs are bent and spread slightly, and her hands had instinctively reached out behind her to support her body as she leaned back. Sakura breathed heavily, ignoring the salt in the air and waiting for her stomach to settle back down.

Her echo mentally prods her to stand back up, and Sakura grits her teeth, getting to work. It is simple to gather both dry brush and ocean driftwood from the surrounding area. She lies them out in an orderly fashion, a good distance away from the corpses. If she is to burn Wave’s lost children, their flames will be the colors of the sea and gentle sunrise. Sakura then begins laying out each dead body in the traditional pose of the islands. Each corpse is carefully laid straight, their arms crossed and hands interlocked over their chests, and unblemished seashells resting gently on their closed eyelids. Sakura thanks the sea for her gift, because Sakura has counted every corpse as she readies them and by the time she finished preparing every body, the total amount of dead caps at a hundred and two. Her echo gently reminds her of the others lining the streets back in town. Sakura has only been at the burial grounds for three hours, and she still has to finish the ones she found here. Not to mention the pyres she will need to crown each corpse with. Sakura lowers her head. She will have to return again tomorrow.

It is already quite late into the afternoon. Sakura needs to go back to the old man’s house before dinner. She doesn’t wonder if Sasuke or Naruto will question where she was. She knows they won’t. No-one does. She just needs to assess her sensei’s state again, since it might have changed in the hours passed. Sakura casts a subtle genjutsu over the area, an unobtrusive warning to keep anything able to feel fear away from the burial grounds. She could not burn them until all the dead were ready. As soon as she finishes she follows Naruto’s chakra signature back to the old man’s house. His signature has always been distinctive and it was easy to follow it if the genin didn’t bother hiding it. He only did that for pranks.

Sakura enters the house silently, slipping up the stairs to take a quick shower before dinner. Kakashi’s chakra hasn’t changed much. It is still in a state of twisting and healing, but it is a bit closer to its usual swirl of turmoil. The observation comforts her, but it does not dissuade her from continuing her self inflicted task. She has promised herself and so she must. There is no time to fake her attraction to a boy who did not bury his dead nor continue the pretense of feeling annoyance towards a boy who lost his chance to bury them. Instead, she folds her legs underneath her in a seiza at the dinner table, quiet. Tsunami fills her plate fully, handing it to Sakura. Sakura does not protest. There is no time for useless diets, either. Once everyone is served and sitting at the table, Tsunami sits next to her father. She looks at Sakura, a curious look in her eye.

“Where did you go today, Sakura?” Tsunami asks, innocence woven throughout her question. Sakura will not bother to lie. This mission has forced her to face herself, and honesty is one thing she would like to improve upon.

“Town. Then the beach.” Sakura replies, grabbing a piece of tofu in between her chopsticks and eating it carefully. She does not miss the look of horror that has taken over Tsunami’s and the old man’s face. Nor does she miss the confused looks decorating Sasuke’s and Naruto’s faces. She speeds up her eating process.

“You okay kid?” The old man checks with her. She knows that he can tell she doesn’t much like his initial attitude and countenance, but that doesn’t stop the old man from worrying over a kid. Sakura, however, hasn’t been a kid in quite awhile. Sakura finishes her food before responding.

“I’m fine,” she swallows, “I’m going to bed.” Sakura stands up elegantly from her place at the table. No-one stops her. Not as she leaves to put her dishes by the sink. Not as she passes by again to head upstairs. Not as she stops halfway up, hidden and out of sight, tears slipping down her cheeks. She was  _ not  _ fine. Sakura latches on to the fact that her sensei is still resting upstairs and that not once throughout her time knowing him, has his chakra rejected her. People are quiet about what they think. Their chakra, however, is not. Sakura continues climbing upwards. She slips into her sensei’s room, pulling ‘her’ futon as close to the sleeping jōnin as she dares.

  
“Goodnight, Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura whispers into the quiet room. She lets the soft sounds of his breath and the pulse of his chakra lull her to sleep. Tomorrow she will keep completing her task.  _ Tomorrow, she will become stronger. _


	2. Eighteen Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sakura no longer has to bury the dead alone, but a burden like this is not halved when shared. It only grows heavier as time goes on."
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to @Diecupcakes & @glitterthegaywitch for your encouraging comments on chapter one. 
> 
> (• v • )b

**** **_Sakura_ ** leaves the old man’s house at oh-six-hundred hours sharp. Her sensei is still asleep, and from the rate his chakra is turning at, it will be at least two more days before he awakens. Sakura can work with that. She has graves to dig and bodies to burn after all. Absently, she hopes these people will find peace. Sakura would pray, but shinobi hardly have the belief required for kami. Not that she had much belief beforehand anyways. Her echo keeps her feet on the right paths, and Sakura picks up another child on her way to the burial grounds.

****

The girl is much lighter than the boy from yesterday, but that does not comfort Sakura in the slightest. This girl is obviously older. Sakura would not be surprised if they had been the same age before she passed away. The only difference between them being that Sakura is a shinobi, and the girl was an orphaned street rat who died of starvation in a small, poverty-stricken country. Sakura glances downwards and notices the hand shaped bruising and small vertical cuts scattered across the girl’s skin.  _ Or from something worse.  _ Her echo begins emitting a calming sound, wrapping Sakura softly with care. She will name this one and the other like her with names fitting their courage. For living as long as they could, despite hoping to die.

****

When Sakura arrives back at the burial grounds, she is surprised to see a small group of kids loitering at the edge of her genjutsu. Their eyes focus in on her as she draws near, suspicion and wary hope churning within their chakra signatures. Sakura releases the genjutsu with a spike of chakra, and the _ ashioto*  _ immediately turn their attention from her to the rows of bodies. There are five rows, numbering twenty-five in the first four and two in the last. She knows that the collection of corpses will only increase. The boy she carried yesterday lies in the shortest row, and it is next to him that she lays down the  _ tora**  _ with gentleness and care. A flower flutters down from the sky and Sakura receives the offering with cupped hands. It is a tiger lily, petals a vibrant orange and striped with a strong, well-defined black. She takes it for what it is and places the flower onto the girl’s mouth, parting her lips so that the blossom is cradled there. She then stands from her kneeling position, turning to the ashioto.

****

“Will you bring the others?” She asks them, letting none of her uncertainty show in her voice. A girl with soft blue hair and sharp eyes nods to her, taking a step forward. Sakura assigns her the role of leader within her mind.

****

“Ahmya,” The girl introduces herself.  _ Black rain.  _ Her hand is held next to her head; thumb, pointer, and pinky fingers splayed up as her other fingers are bent down. Sakura idly wonders if the girl chose the name for herself, or is named after what chases thousands from the islands. Because that hand sign is island-native, and Sakura would be a fool not to return it.

****

“Sakura,” she trusts the girl with her name as a reply, lifting her left hand to receive the greeting she has been given. Ahmya calls the others to her with a sharp dialect. Sakura can almost call it familiar. Ahmya gives the other ashioto some sort of direction, and then they all leave. Splitting into groups and looking to take the town by sectors. Sakura’s echo wonders how many more have been lost to these years of avoidance. Wave must have been well and truly alone to have fallen into this state, and this observation forces Sakura to question what right she has to bury these dead. But as soon as the question arises she quashes it, asking her echo to place it deeply into her room of unwanted things. She has better things to do then think so much that all she does is sit around and act useless. She always has.  _ Ignorance is no longer her answer, however. And so she will continue. _

****

Now that she has help, Sakura can make use of her extra time. She makes several more trips to the seaside, taking with her an old and rusted bucket to fill with shells and driftwood. It is a rusted thing, but it has a wide ovular bottom and high sides with bamboo covered handles and Sakura is grateful for it. When her sensei awakens her time to bury the dead will shorten as her time is taken up by training. At least, she hopes. For now, she will keep working under that assumption. The bucked is useful for all its faults, and Sakura has a good amount of each item before the ashioto return. They raise brows at the piles, but after a short bark from Ahmya they quickly set to work. Ahmya herself heads straight to Sakura, holding two bushels of twine grass. Sakura takes in a short breath.

****

“How did you get this?” Sakura asks as she takes them into her arms, but she is not really asking. It is more of an exclamation of wonder than something that demands an answer. Ahmya nods towards the general entrance of the burial grounds with a grunt. Then she leaves to help the other ashioto. Sakura’s head snaps in the given direction, and she can hardly believe that she didn’t notice the old man’s signature. Her echo gently reminds her of her purpose and tightly locked signatures she had maintained for this mission, so Sakura forgives herself a little. She sets the bushels next to the mound of dry grass. Then she turns and walks over to the old man, or, well, Tazuna. She supposes that the old builder has earned the use of his name, despite her first impression of him.

****

“Did you follow them?” Sakura assumes, though she does suspect that is not exactly the full answer. Tazuna throws her a wry look, pushing his glasses up his nose out of habit. 

****

“When a foreign, pink-haired, ninja  _ brat _ starts carting dead bodies out of town, everybody is going to notice. They won’t stop you---but they’ll sure notice. Just had to ask that geezer Arata,” Tazuna takes a breath, “Tsunami’s worried about you.” Sakura jolts slightly in surprise, but the movement is too small for a civilian like Tazuna to notice. She has a feeling he knows anyway.

****

“And the boys?” Sakura inquired further, walking back to the dry grass, driftwood, and bushels of twine. Tazuna follows her as she goes, his shoulders hunching slightly.

****

“They uh,” Tazuna pauses awkwardly, “They haven’t mentioned anything to me.” Sakura scoffs internally. Too busy training, she bet. _ Or maybe too busy forgetting about her existence.  _ She shakes her head and methodically rips open the bushels. Afterward, Sakura quickly begins weaving them into circlets with bits of dry grass and driftwood.

****

“I’m sure it's because they’re too busy training,” Sakura provides an out to the old builder. He takes it gratefully.

****

“Yeah. I don’t see them much except for at mealtimes.” Tazuna sits down on the ground next to her, picking up some twine with practiced hands. “Do you need help with that?” His words are less of a question and more of an offer. Sakura blinks in surprise. She had forgotten that before being a drunkard, Tazuna was a builder. Weaving some grass probably wasn’t much contained to interlocking bridges and other great pieces of architecture together. A small smile tugs at Sakura’s lips. The weight that had settled on her chest lightens slightly.

****

“Thanks.” She says. Tazuna nods and eyes her technique for a moment before mimicking it with startling ease. Sakura doesn’t pay that fact much mind, however. She is more grateful that unlike yesterday, Sakura doesn’t have to complete her self-assigned task on her own. She had first gotten a taste of teamwork from her sensei’s genin test. Sakura's smile stays soft on her lips. Perhaps she’ll learn a bit more about it with Tazuna, Ahmya, and the ashioto.

****

**_It_** is eighteen-hundred hours on the dot and Sakura tells Ahmya to return with the rest of the ashioto the next day at six, knowing that Tsunami will be disappointed if either Tazuna or Sakura are late for dinner. In all honesty, Sakra had forgotten the time in the blur of the day. Together she and Tazuna had finished the majority of the circlet-pyres, placing them gently and carefully on the crown of each body’s head. Ahmya and the ashioto had also finished bringing in the dead. Sakura dearly hopes there will not be anymore in the morning. She has added up the first rows with the additional ones from today, and her heart grieves. Two-hundred and one. Eighty-three are children, twelve are teenagers, and the rest are adults. Sakura was given thirteen more flowers and each rests like a decorated gown in the mouths of thirteen of the lost. Sakura is unashamed to admit that she cried, but only Tazuna and the ashioto were privy to her break in demeanor. And as far as her echo is concerned there is only one more person in the Hidden Nations worthy of the same sight.

****

Sakura lets Tazuna lead them back to his home. He enters through the front door with bluster and a loud voice, but Sakura knows that it is for her benefit. It allows Sakura to slip up the stairs and take a quick shower in privacy as she did the day before. Tazuna had promised to keep the burial ground a secret from Tsunami until the day of burning. He couldn’t make any concerning Sasuke and Naruto, but Sakura understood that as only natural. The boys were shinobi, if only genin. They were a tad more observant than the average civilian.  _ At least, to anything that wasn’t about her.  _ Her echo fades into a hazy sleep as Sakura arrives at the kitchen. This time she is early enough to help Tsunami set the table and she gives Inari a secret high-five as they finish together. It is a reminiscent grain of happier times, but Sakura cannot bear to let go of it until the moments are well and truly over.

****

Everyone is again seated and served, but this time Tsunami does not ask Sakura about where she’s been. Instead, she murmurs a quiet thanks and directs the conversation to the boys’ and her day of work. It is peaceful, and Sakura nods her head slightly at Tsunami in thanks. If Sasuke and Naruto wanted to know what she was doing, a civilian wasn’t going to go digging for them. They most likely didn’t truly care to know anyway. Just curious to be curious. They probably assumed she was either out pampering herself or training, given the roughed up shape she had come back with as of late. 

****

Even without Tsunami chasing her away with an uncomfortable question, Sakura is still the first to leave the table. She sets her dishes in the sink as before and putters back up the stairs. The difference this time is that Sakura is silent as she goes, and does not bother to stop and eavesdrop on her team and Tazuna’s family. She has dealt with enough this past day and she wanted to be near her sensei. So she pulls the futon closer to him with care and measured breaths, pulling her blanket over her body as she curled up towards the jōnin. She is almost fast asleep when she remembers, and reaches her hand out slightly with a murmur.

****

“Night ‘kashi-sensei,” Sakura’s voice is quiet and thick with sleep as she says it. She is deeply asleep when her chakra pulse finally syncs with the jōnin’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ashioto; footsteps (Sakura calls them this as a connection to their quiet nature. Street rats who have lived without shelter long enough are quiet, and often the only thing you hear from them is the quiet pattering of their footsteps.)  
> **tora; tiger (Sakura calls the girl in her arms this as a connection to the innate courage the girl must have possessed to keep going through her hard life, even if she didn’t live long enough to see the change Team Seven will bring.)
> 
> • All explanations within the parentheses are personally created by me. They have little resemblance to true Japanese culture, so please do not take it as so. Thank you.


	3. Nineteen Hours & A Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sakura gathers stones from the outskirts of the burial grounds. She forgets that many of the dead are ashioto. Another joins them."
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heartfelt thanks to @Megami_Tsunami and @pinklemonade123 for commenting! The former for her encouragement and the latter... wink wonk.

**_It’s_ ** official. Sakura was right. Her sensei would be awake by dinner. Good thing too, since chakra-exhaustion usually makes the sufferer ravenous when they finally wake up. She arrives at the burial grounds an hour later than usual, but Ahmya and the ashioto have not faltered in her absence. It had taken the girl a bit to extract herself from her sensei’s arms, as sometime during the night he had curled around her protectively. Furthermore, she hadn’t actually wanted to leave the warmth of his arms. She hadn’t felt as safe as she had then since… since she can’t remember. Sakura gifts Ahmya a small smile as they pass each other, Sakura heading to the piles and Ahmya to town. Sakura notes with dismay that another row has started, extending the burial grounds closer to the sea.

Even so. With her sensei so close to waking, Sakura might have to initiate two burning days. That is, if more bodies are found after the first. Luckily the new row only has five more bodies, so it is a simple task to retrieve five of the extra circlet’s from yesterday. Sakura takes the circlet along with the bucket of shells to the new row, placing them down with her head bowed in respect. When she has finished, Sakura finally begins one of the last processes; the burial stones. For islanders, the sea both takes and gives. It is through the fortune of the waves that trading ships and potential mates travel, and each child is a blessing of the waters. What the ocean gives, it shall also bring back to its bosom. Though Sakura is not a blossom of the islands she still knows the truths. She is a Haruno, and spring always graces the islands first.

She collects small stones for each of the dead. They are only wide enough for the kanji of a first name, but the ocean does not care for lineage. And that is where the stones will go. Swallowed by cliffs of water, to be carried into the deepest parts of the ocean and back again. Once all the stones are gathered, Sakura leaves the outskirts with the final batch of stones and returns to the burial grounds. Tazuna is there once she arrives, sitting down and weaving circlets. The ashioto continue to bring in the dead and prepare them the way they watched Sakura do. She heads over to the old builder, setting the bucket down and then following suit. Tazua watches as she picks up the first stone. Sakura concentrates so that just enough chakra is running through her left hand. With her right she holds in the position of a  _ half tora*. _

“Doton: Precision Cut,” Sakura whispers, focusing on one name in her mind. It is wobbly and a touch uncertain, but a few seconds later the kanji for Kiko, meaning  _ hope, _ is carved into the stone and ready to be placed at the center of the first tora’s chest. Sakura has never been particularly good at this jutsu, but it is the first one she ever crafted, and it will be good enough for the burials. What Sakura does not expect is for Ahmya to tap her shoulder ten minutes later, and then crouch next to her. Sakura turns to the girl, spotting a stone in her hand.

“Teach me. I know many of their names.” Ahmya requests, a little too nervous to demand anything of Sakura. Sakura does not think of rules or regulation or the fact that Ahmya is not a shinobi, but a civilian. There are no skilled stone masons in Wave and Sakura created this jutsu. She can decide who she will teach it to. And an ashioto girl who just wants to properly bury her dead? Sakura decides that she is the perfect first candidate. Sakura nods to Ahmya, grabbing another stone and moving her hand into a half tora. Ahmya mimics her, just as Sakura expected.

“Draw a wisp of your whirlpool into your hand and cycle it. Focus on the name you want carved and then imagine it as you say, ‘Doton: Precision Cut’.” Sakura gives the girl clear and concise instructions. Ahmya turns her gaze to the stone in her hand and a seconds later, just as with Sakura herself, the kanji for a name is engraved into the stone’s surface. Hideaki,  _ splendid brightness.  _ Sakura does not even have to ask if the name is from someone important to her. The tear that drips from Ahmya’s eye is answer enough. It splashes onto the stone, filling Hideaki’s name. 

“I will complete the upper rows.” Ahmya declares, and Sakura knows exactly why. The upper rows contain most of the children and teenagers. They hold the ones taken far too early and all of the thirteen tora with blossoms kissing their mouths. Sakura lays a strong hand on Ahmya’s shoulder to ground the ashioto. She doesn’t know if her gesture truly helps or not, but Ahmya lets her keep her hand there for a moment before slowly standing. Sakura watches as Ahmya approaches a familiar section of the burial grounds. When Sakura catches sight of a familiar tiger lily blossom, she knows where the girl is headed. Ahmya places the stone with a gentleness that Sakura had forgotten humans were capable of. When she comes back, Sakura vows to remember the name. Hideaki. The boy she had carried that first day. One of Ahmya’s most precious people.

Sakura and Ahmya work in tandem after that. They finish a hundred stones and then a hundred more. A good portion of the stones are reddish and porous, eroded from endless days in the sea. The rest are a myriad of sandstone, grey, and green tones. Ahmya takes the only quartz stones for the thirteen tora. The other ashioto have stopped checking the town, the last five bodies of children placed in a row all by themselves. Bracelets decorate each of the children’s wrists. Threaded  _ paopu**  _ charms dangle from each bracelet. When Sakura finally reaches them, Ahmya has already placed their stones over their hearts. At Sakura’s approach, crawling flowers bloom in an outline around the last five children. Some of the blooms are only native to Konoha, but Sakura thinks it is safe to leave them. They will become ash on the first day of burning anyways. 

**_A_ ** few minutes past seventeen-hundred hours and one of the ashioto have collapsed. Nothing Sakura does rouses them. None of her pleas reach their ears. They are gone just as the last stone is placed and the burning day is decided to be tomorrow. Her echo tries to comfort her, but Sakura pushes her away and she fades into a deeper portion of her mind. Sakura can’t understand. Her chest pangs with a renewed throbbing, her bones and eyes aching equally. She is sinking onto her knees, curled into herself as she hugs herself as tightly as she can without breaking anything. Ahmya stands off to the side, barking orders to the rest of the ashioto and the body is carefully righted in front of her. Tazuna places a circlet onto the boy’s head. A black stone with kanji written into it is placed over his heart by Ahmya. Sakura’s tears clear just long enough to be able to read it. It reads as Katsuo,  _ victorious child.  _ Sakura swallows hard, breathing heavily and tilting her head skywards.

“Tazuna?” She calls, holding desperately onto whatever air she can. If she doesn’t, she will vomit. Her stomach churns dangerously as it is.

“Yeah, kid?” The old builder answers. Sakura swallows again, clearing her throat in order to speak.

“You are going to finish that damn bridge. I swear my life on it. As the ocean flows.” Sakura vows, eyes glued to the sun as it lowers on the horizon. Tazuna coughs, his shadow standing taller in her peripherals.

“Yeah kid,” Tazuna says, returning the promise, “As the sea rises.”

**_Her_ ** sensei is sitting in her usual seat when Sakura and Tazuna finally make it back to the house. She isn’t bothered. She accepts the change with a shrug of her shoulders before going upstairs to get refreshed. Her shower is blessedly cold. Her echo has returned by the time Sakura goes back downstairs, accepting Sakura’s apology gracefully. Sakura sits to the left of Kakashi, closer to the end of the table and diagonally across from Inari. Tsunami serves dinner with the help of Kakashi and only when everyone has given thanks for the food does dinner truly begin. Sakura eyes the plate of strawberries. It is odd that they are there, considering Wave’s current state. When Tsunami unsubtly pushes it closer to her, Sakura has the sneaking suspicion that Tazuna’s daughter always knows more than she lets on. Kakashi side-eyes her, his usual crescent-eyed grin nowhere in sight.

“So did you all train while I was out?” Kakashi addresses them, turning to each of Team Seven in turn. Naruto responds first.

“Yeah sensei! The teme and I sparred before practicing that katon jutsu you taught us. I dunno about Sakura-chan though,” a pout appears on the blonde’s face, “She’s been gone  _ all  _ day for the past few days.” Naruto elongates the ‘aw’ sound when he says ‘all’ and the dramatics actually give Sakura a small measure of comfort at the familiarity of it. Sasuke makes a short noise of confirmation, nodding his head towards their sensei in agreeance with Naruto. This causes Kakashi to turn back to Sakura, his visible eye peering at her curiously.

“I’ve been training,” Sakura assures her teacher, “Increasing my endurance and practicing a low-ranking doton jutsu.” She isn’t lying. Carrying the bodies and items required for a proper burial has pushed her body to the limits---especially on that first day. Her sensei hums, tapping his chopsticks on his empty plate.

“And you couldn’t practice with the boys?” Kakashi interrogates her further, a serious tinge to his otherwise light tone. The quiet conversation between Tazuna and his family fills the silence as Sakura swallows the food in her mouth. She takes a quick drink before replying.

“I’d rather not get caught in an accidental forest fire while I’m busy playing in the dirt,” Sakura tells her sensei dryly. Naruto rises in slight offense at her remark whilst Sasuke’s cheeks barely tinge pink.

“That was only  _ once  _ Sakura-chan!” Naruto defends himself and Sasuke, leaning forwards in indignation. Sakura quirked a brow, giving the boy a disbelieving face.

“And yet I saw what amounted to a  _ mountain bonfire  _ from where I was training. On the other side of town. Near the  _ beach. _ ” Sakura retorted, jabbing her chopsticks in Naruto’s direction. “You’re just lucky we were taught that one suiton jutsu during the academy camping trip.” Naruto had the decency to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. Sasuke, surprisingly enough, nodded in agreement to Sakura’s statement. Or maybe it wasn’t that surprising. Sakura wasn’t pretending to be someone else anymore. She internally winces at a memory of her previous facade that her echo brings up. Not her proudest moments. Sakura’s echo laughs softly before nudging her to focus back onto the conversation.

The first night her sensei is awake is filled with laughter and hope. Sakura is still a little numb from the events at the burial ground, but this is the first time she has felt a part of Team Seven since Kakashi first went comatose from chakra exhaustion. After they say their goodnights and leave for their separate rooms, Sakura follows her sensei up to their room quietly, if a little apprehensive. She doesn’t want to know if her sensei had pushed her futon away when he had woken up. She knows she could handle simply having him safely within range, but having a ‘handle’ on something is not exactly comforting. But she follows Kakashi into their room anyways, and she forces herself to keep her eyes open as she enters. 

When she sees her futon even closer than before, as if tugged there purposefully, something within Sakura warms at the sight. Her sensei is the first adult she has trusted since Iruka-sensei and Ayumi-baa-san. His chakra hasn’t rejected her once. From what she can tell, he probably never will. It is a comforting thought. They settle down for the night, and once the lights are turned off Sakura immediately begins sinking to sleep. Her last thoughts are ones she hasn’t had in a while. That her company has never been just the dead, and that the living are worth something as well. 

Sakura is a Haruno, and they tend the fields.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *half tora; half tiger (A one handed tora hand sign. Pointer and thumb pointed up with the rest of the fingers bent down. It lends Sakura control over the chakra used in Doton: Precision Cut.)  
> **paopu; starfruit (An island fruit that is soft, cool, and refreshingly sweet. Island children often thread them together into star shapes as good luck charms. Legend has it that papou trees were blessed by the kitsune and the kappa to be eternally fresh.)
> 
> —Doton: Precision Cut (An earth ninjutsu that requires high chakra control. Rather than truly slicing the stone, it is more like the chakra almost instantly erodes pieces of the rock away.) [Personally Crafted]


	4. Twenty Hours & Two Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The first day of burning."
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much thanks to @ysv, @pinklemonade123, @Just_a_fallen_star, and @Tejiri for commenting on the previous chapter! I am truly grateful for all your love and support.
> 
> [Warning! What may be considered graphic descriptions of corpses are contained within this chapter. They are not incredibly detailed, but some may be discomforted by it. Be Warned!]

**_Despite_** her sensei’s usual trends, he has them up and out of bed by oh-eight-hundred hours. They had already gathered in Kakashi and Sakura’s room to discuss the Zabuza encounter, so all of Team Seven was already up to date. Zabuza wasn’t dead and would likely be recovered by the end of the week. The hunter-nin had been his accomplice. As Sakura saw it, there really was no sense in dawdling. Kakashi had already informed them the previous evening that they would begin training. Today, Tazuna will continue working on the bridge. As Tsunami makes breakfast, the old builder tells Sakura about the bridge team. He tells her that the team had sped up production in order to attend the burning rites. With that tidbit of information, Sakura expects Tazuna to be waiting with Tsunami at the house. They all sit down to eat.

After a quick breakfast, Kakashi sends Tazuna off with a kage bunshin for protection. Then he leads Sakura and her teammates into the towering redwood forests for training. They stop a-ways in, Kakashi hobbling past them towards the nearest tree. He turns slightly, adjusting his grip on the crutches Tsunami lent him. Sakura waits patiently a few feet from her sensei. She is a little uncomfortable wearing her favoured shinobi gear instead of her usual-but-now-ruined qipao top and shorts, but she is a kind of happy as well. She feels more like a shinobi with the get-up. Then again, she _is_ still nervous wearing the set of male hakama pants and sleeveless turtleneck. She had brought the outfit as back-up for this mission, but then again, she always did that. It was the last gift she received from her father, after all.

“For today’s training,” Kakashi’s voice knocks her from her stream of thoughts, “We’ll be climbing trees.” All of the functions in Sakura’s brain grind to a halt. They’re finally on a serious mission, and he wants to teach them how to climb trees? Sakura pondered her sensei’s statement for a moment. _Every Konoha kid knew how to do that practically from birth. Unless…_ Sakura’s expression lifts. Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke have already balked in outrage, Naruto’s mouth ranting at a mile a minute. 

“Climbing trees,” her blonde teammate squawks, flapping his arms around, “Sensei! We all know how to climb trees.” Despite Sasuke’s silence, the air he gives off is kin to Naruto’s outburst. Sakura watches as her sensei brings his hand up, waving his pointer finger.

“Uhp, uhp, uhp,” Kakashi interrupts Naruto’s next complaint, “You didn’t let me finish. We will be climbing trees---” And as her sensei says this he begins walking _vertically_ up the tree. Even with his crutches, Kakashi just casually walks up the trunk of the tall redwood. “With our feet,” the jōnin finishes. Sakura’s echo radiates a quiet aura of awe, quite literally echoing Sakura’s own feelings on the matter. _So he wasn’t a jōnin for no reason after all._ As the boys are busy bombarding Kakashi with pleas to teach them, Sakura has been sidetracked by the sudden and plentiful ideas on how to do it herself. 

Clearly she couldn’t use too much chakra. She didn’t have a lot to begin with, but her senses had told her there had only been a light application of chakra to her sensei’s feet. Besides, if her sensei had used a chakra intensive jutsu on the first day since his coma, she would have hog-tied and grilled the jōnin. Sakura absentmindedly walked over to the tree inside of her. A hypothesis forming in her mind, she places her foot onto the bark and focuses her mind inwards. She follows her chakra pathways down to her feet. It flows slowly, like a lazy koi from Ayumi-baa-san’s pond. A stray thought spreads the chakra evenly across the pads of her feet. A grin slips onto her face. A minute later and Sakura is sitting on one of the highest branches sprouting from her tree. She is satisfied with her accomplishment, but the burning day is today and that preoccupies her thoughts.

Sakura walks back down as Kakashi uses her success to goad the boys. She doesn’t particularly approve of the method, but she can see that it works. Naruto and Sasuke have had some nonsensical rivalry since the academy. Their sensei is only playing off of it to get them determined. Once the boys are off competing and blasting themselves off of trees, Kakashi turns to Sakura with an unreadable look on his face.

“Let’s walk back to Tazuna’s together. It seems like you have something to do,” her sensei prompts in a low voice. Sakura can’t understand how her sensei knows, but she doesn’t let it bother her for long. Even if he looks at her strangely for burying unfamiliar dead, it would not be the first time. So instead of confronting the jōnin where the boys are easily within earshot, Sakura keeps Kakashi’s leisurely pace as they travel to the old builder’s house. The jōnin keeps the _almost_ peaceful atmosphere all the way up to the point they reach the house. He waits until they see Tazuna and Tsunami standing on the front porch, waiting. Sakura would be annoyed, but cannot fault her sensei for his weariness. Kakashi has been asleep for nearly three days with no idea as to what his genin were up to. _Well, it probably wasn’t preparations for a mass burial._ Her echo’s cheeky comments snakes through the forefront of Sakura’s thoughts, leaving just as quickly as it appears. But Sakura has to agree. Her facade up until the encounter with Zabuza hadn’t been the most… resolute personality. Sakura takes in the sight of Tazuna, Tsunami, and Kakashi as she turns slightly, all of them waiting for her.

“Let’s go, then.” Sakura decides. Showing Tsunami and Kakashi the result of the past few days is far easier than trying to verbally explain what she has been doing. And honestly, Sakura isn’t up for that kind of an awkward conversation. So instead she steels her shoulders, lifting her chin as she follows her echo’s directions to the burial grounds. Sakura has not cast a genjutsu since that first night, so the field of corpses quickly becomes visible once they pass the last houses from town. She hears Tsunami gasp from behind her, but Sakura cannot crumple. If she does, the burning day will more than likely have to be postponed. Additionally, Sakura does not know how long this mission will last. So Sakura does not stumble at Tsunami’s reaction. Rather, she strides confidently to where Ahmya and the other ashioto are gathered. Each of the ashioto have fanned out. They stand at a position of * _itawari,_ each ashioto standing at the head of one column. Even Ahmya is off to the side. The central column is left empty for Sakura. She began the rites, so it is tradition for her to stand there. _All of the islands are connected. They were one, once._ Her mother’s voice whispers from the shell of her ear. Sakura takes it as approval. It is all she will get, now that her parents are gone.

Sakura stops, however, on the other side of the field. There she turns around to face her sensei, Tazuna, and Tsunami. She is unsurprised to see that the rest of the town has followed behind them. It is likely that Tazuna told them about today, if they had not already figured it out on their own. This was likely the first proper act of island rites since Gato took over, Sakura suspects. What Sakura does not expect though, is the presence of Inari at his mother’s side. Children did not usually attend the final rites, but if his mother would make no attempts to remove the boy, Sakura wouldn’t either. She takes a deep breath in. Now that the preparations have been made, the scent of flowers and salt are heavy on her tongue. This is a sort of nostalgia to the scent. As if she had experienced this before rather than learning second-hand from her parents. Sakura makes eye contact with Kakashi, lowering her chin slightly in respect. 

“There will be two burning days, sensei. Please bring Sasuke and Naruto tomorrow.” Sakura requests. In circumstances like this, only the children are burned on the first day. A hundred fires, each one for innocence long lost. If Sasuke and Naruto agree to follow their sensei tomorrow, they will be spared the sight of witnessing children burn. Sakura will give them this. After all, both of them have already witnessed the death of children. Sasuke in his own home, and Naruto in the streets of Konoha’s outer districts. Neither of them will notice the kindness she is granting them, but that is fine. Kakashi will know, and that is what really matters.

“Of course, Sakura-chan.” There is a proud look in Kakashi’s uncovered eye as he agrees. Sakura is sure that her sensei suspects the Zabuza encounter to be the catalyst for her change, and the jōnin isn’t wrong. He is actually very, very right. Sakura nods again, bending her fingers into the Konoha sign for ‘stay’. Then she leaves the gathering of Wave, walking in between the corpses. She bypasses the opening that is meant for her, instead walking directly to the sea. A single piece of driftwood lies a few feet from the water. Sakura feels the ocean breeze caressing her skin as she picks up the torch. Her chakra comes forth unbidden. It is drawn from her chest, following her spiraling chakra paths to her fingers. From there it sinks into the wood, faint veins of green light peeking from the bark. It sits within the tip, waiting. Sakura breathes.

“Katon: Ember Seedling.” The torch bursts into flame. Green fire crackles from the top of the water’s gift, and it is then that Sakura knows. The driftwood had been completely dry from bark to center. And one of her parent’s myths had finally proven true. Except, Sakura has always known that the burning rites were the truth. Sakura is a Haruno, and she has long buried her dead. Sakura breathes again, longer this time. She cannot stand idly on the shoreline. There are people waiting. Her sensei, the ashioto, Tazuna and his family. Not to mention almost the entirety of Wave. Sakura spins on her heel and leaves the beach. She travels up and over the rise that leads to the open waters. The sun’s rays warm her back, and she slows her pace. Her face takes on a somber expression and suddenly Sakura is standing at that center column. At her feet is one of the five children from yesterday. Their paopu charm lies still, unmoved from its place. A Konoha blossom curls delicately against their cheek. Sakura looks up, staring at the crowd as she clears her throat.

“Flicker and current, they burn and grow.” Sakura begins, running through the rest of the verses mentally. Ahmya turns first, extending her staff toward Sakura’s torch. The twine grass quickly catches fire. The other ashioto to Sakura’s right follows Ahmya’s lead, dipping his staff into the green flames. The staves come to life with a soft, pastel blue. A coincidence from the twine grass, but it is oddly fitting. The children will be sent off with the colors of a new day. Once all of the staves are lit, Sakura continues.

“Young as they come, and old as they go.” Sakura’s voice seems to thunder with each word, reaching across the field. Old drums pound as Sakura prepares herself to say the last line. She takes in a deep breath, her chest lifting. She speaks.

“As the sea rises the ocean too, will flow.” The corners of Sakura’s eyes are filled with tears as she carefully falls to one knee, repeating the words while she lowers her torch to the child’s circlet-pyre.

“ _The ocean too, will flow,_ ” she whispers. Then Sakura stands. She is not finished until all the circlets have been lit. So she goes. She steps slowly down the line and touches her torch to every circlet. The images are burned into her mind. Some of the children are no older than five. Others have distinctive scars from street brawls or seashell ornaments that some of the ashioto must have made. All are children. Or kids. Or teenagers. All have sunken eyes and sallow cheeks. She can count each of their ribs, and to her horror, she does. Despite everything Sakura does not drop her torch. She keeps going. From stepping, to kneeling, to standing. She cycles through each action on autopilot. Blearily, she notices that the ashioto have all followed her example, and that fires are lighting all around her. Sakura swallows dryly. The smoke and heat have parched her throat from her exposure. 

Sakura does not know how long it takes for her to reach the end of her column. But when she does, Kakashi is there. It goes like this; she steps forward and sets the last circlet aflame, laying down the flickering torch lightly onto the corpse’s stomach. Then she stands. From one second to the next, Sakura is stumbling. Kakashi catches her before she falls onto the ground. His comforts are awkward at first, and he doesn’t quite know how to hold her, but he gets there. Her sensei curls his whole body around her, quickly lowering them both to the floor. One of his arms is tucked under the crook of her legs while the other is held warm against her back. His thumb massages the portion of her back it can reach, and coupled with the comforts he is whispering to her, she feels _safe._ Safe enough to nestle into Kakashi’s broad chest without worrying. Safe enough to let her ribs rattle with her unsteady breaths and her whole body shudder with the force of her sobs. Sakura feels safe enough to let her tears wet Kakashi’s shirt in speckles and swaths. All the while her sensei whispers to her.

“You did _good,_ Sakura. They are safe now. You have sent them _home,_ ” Kakashi promises her. He comforts and promises and _swears_ \---and something in Sakura knows that her sensei has not done that in a long time. Years even. Sakura breathes in slow and deep, letting the fresh air fill her lungs until the breath sits full and uncomfortable beneath her ribs. A soft pressure from Kakashi reminds her to let go and she does. She lifts her head, turning not to Kakashi but to the sun lowering itself in the sky. She breathes.

  
_As the ocean flows,_ Sakura vows. For the sake of Wave’s dead and lost… Gato would perish along with any who helped him ruin this country. Sakura exhales.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *itawari; attention, sympathy, labor, illness, service, carefulness (Position of itawari, or position of attention. It is a stance where the legs are placed shoulder-width apart with the knees slightly bent. In the hands are wooden shafts half the size of the body with weaving twine wrapped around the tip. The grips are on opposite sides of each other; the right hand above the left hand. It is traditional for an island burial.)
> 
> —Katon: Ember Seedling (A fire ninjitsu that produces very little flame, but high amount of heat in a concentrated area.) [Personally Crafted]


	5. Eight Hours & Three Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The ocean, the stones, and the boys.”
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to @Diecupcakes for commenting on the last chapter! Also, not sure how long is the writing streak will last, but thanks anyways.

**_The_ **fires burn well into the evening. Kakashi leaves at eighteen-hundred hours in order to check on the boys, but Sakura cannot leave yet. She has to stay until the bodies are ash and only the stones are left. A burning rite is never finished until the names are thrown back into the ocean. To one day be brought back to shore and gifted to a new life. At least, that is what Sakura’s mother had taught her many, many years ago. So Sakura stays. She sits on the ground with the burning fields laid out before her and waits. She waits for the flames to become ash and cinders; for the named stones to lie alone where bodies once laid. 

No one can help her with the final part of the rites. Sakura must gather each stone herself, speak the blessing, and throw them to the sea. Thus, once the burning has faded to wisps, Sakura is left alone at the burial grounds. First the people of Wave leave, bowing in respect before turning away and returning to the town. Ahmya and the ashioto are next. They return to their positions before the burning rites began and plunge their staves into the earth. The fires atop them have mellowed into a gentle lavender, and little to no smoke comes from them. Then the ashioto collectively step back, placing their right hands as fists over their hearts. They bend their torsos slightly. Sakura swallows harshly. It is a salute of kin. A promise of remembrance. _When someone dies, they are gone. But they never truly leave._ As Sakura blinks, the ashioto disappear. 

Though she knows they will return for the second day of burning, it is a little difficult to know she will truly be doing this alone. Because she was a different person just a few days ago, and she isn’t sure if she is strong enough yet. But she had to be. If she didn’t change, she would be stuck as that useless version of herself. She would remain that crying Forehead-girl. Obsessor-extraordinaire, an expert paper ninja with no other skills to back herself up. Sakura heaves herself upwards, stumbling a little before steadying. Somehow, she needed her self-imposed mission just as much as the people of Wave did. And truthfully? Sakura wonders who ‘Haruno Sakura’ will be by the end of this mission. She wonders what changes will stick. How this will affect her life back in Konoha. Knowing she will never get her answers as she is, Sakura shakes the thoughts away. She still needs to finish the rites.

Sakura retrieves her trusty bucket from that first day. Then she works for hours, and by the time she is almost finished gathering the stones and shifting the ashes, it is well after twenty-three-hundred hours. She hovers over the last five stones. The stars and moon shine bright above her, casting everything in a silvery light. It is in that time that she catches sight of one of the charm bracelets. The piece of jewelry has somehow miraculously survived the fire completely intact. Sakura picks it up along with the five stones. She slides it onto her wrist as the names of the lost pass through her mind. 

First is Hisashi _,_ meaning _long-lived._ Second is Kazuhiro, meaning _prosperous-one._ Third, Chinami, meaning _one thousand waves._ Fourth, Eiko, meaning _long-lived child._ And finally, Mamiko, meaning _daughter of the sea._ Sakura coughs wetly, wiping at her eyes with her upper arm. Ahmya has carved these. An odd quirk with her Precision Cut jutsu was that it seemed to mimic the user’s handwriting. Sakura blinked, tears slipping. And it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. There had been hope in Wave, once. Alive with the children that had once held the names in her hands. Sakura places the stones into the bucket with great care, mentally keeping a close eye on the little chakra she had reinforced her arms with. The stones may have been small, but a hundred of them in one bucket was no light thing. And that’s how many there were. One-hundred. Kids lost to the whims of human nature. 

Sakura studiously avoids the thought of how many stones will be added to the sea tomorrow. She hoists the bucket and tightens her grip on it. Sakura treads carefully as she walks to the beach. She sets the bucket of stones down temporarily as she removes her hakama pants and turtleneck. Sakura is left in nothing but her undergarments, but she cannot wear clothes. The ocean will ruin them from their shame. Sakura is not embarrassed either. If the people of Wave truly have as much of the islands in them as they have shown, then they won’t leave the town until they see her again. She steps into the gently lapping waves, goosebumps sprouting across both of her arms and legs. A shiver travels up her spine, causing Sakura to shake slightly. The water is cold, bubbling against her skin in a ticklish manner as she wades deeper into the waves. She stops once the water reaches the tops of her knees. She shivers again. Then, she simply breathes for a few moments. The moon breaks through the cloud cover, shining its light directly onto Sakura. She sings.

“Given and received, we now hope and return,” the first verse is loud in the quiet and Sakura stutters a bit. Her memories of these lessons are hazy at best, and she hopes the ocean will forgive her if she fumbles.

“These names we have cherished, again we will earn.” As Sakura’s voice fills the night, she sees the waves begin to intensify. The ocean currents tug underneath the surface. _To take back the named stones, She will twist and pull. Do not worry, my blossom, she will not take you too._ Sakura’s echo plays the memory at the back of her mind. Sakura herself inhales a shaky breath.

“As the ocean flows the sea rises, and the currents come to churn.” The wind picks up, and in the far-off distance Sakura can see whirlpools forming. They are violent, yet somehow gentle. Ocean rain begins to fall from the heavens, thunder roaring across the heavens. Sakura can not decide if it is simply coincidence, or if she really is honouring some divine being along with the dead. There is no time to ponder. She continues to the end of the blessing.

“Given and received, we now thank and return,” Sakura finishes the last verse with a mighty heave, tilting the bucket enough to release the names. She watches as a hundred stones sink beneath the waves, imperfect and uneven kanji chipped into them by an unpracticed hand. The owners have only recently been buried as ash and dust beneath Wave’s coarse ground. And there Sakura stands, soaked by sea spray and illuminated by the night sky, the one behind it all.

**_Sakura_ **returns to the beach. There she stands as the rain lasts just long enough to rinse the saltwater away. Her clothes are slightly damp, but Sakura still shrugs them on. They’re the only coverings she has at the moment, other than the paopu charm she’d taken from Chinami’s ashes. She couldn’t, at least not in good conscience, leave the bracelet behind to be eaten by some scavenging animal. It didn’t feel right. And for some reason, it felt like she was supposed to have it. Like the bracelet was Chinami’s thanks for sending the little girl and her friends to peace. A tiny smile made its way onto Sakura’s face. She wishes she had gotten to meet the child.

Her experience as she treks back through town towards Tazuna’s house is an odd one. Originally, before she had completed the rites, the townspeople would only look at her with wariness and suspicion. But now there was a sort of respect in their eyes. They part as she walks by, as if they can actually see the islander within Sakura beneath her light peach skin. She shakes her head slightly, continuing her journey. As Sakura approaches the house, she sees the area around the front porch lit up with lanterns. Kakashi is reclined in a rocking chair on the left side of the porch while the boys are sitting listlessly on the steps. She doesn’t get to think about her observations for long, because once she gets closer, Naruto shoots up from his seat and throws himself at her. Oddly enough, Sasuke also looks as if he also wants to go to her. Almost as if… he was worried about her.

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto shouts, basically into her ear, and she almost lets him fall to the ground. “Where were you? Sasuke-teme and I finished training earlier and suddenly the place where you train was completely on fire! Hey, Sakura-chan, are you liste—” Sakura cuts off her overexcitable teammate by placing a hand over his mouth. Extricating herself from his embrace, she leads him by the hand back over to Sasuke. She sits down on the porch step next to the apathetic boy and gestures for Naruto to sit on her other side. He does so easily, and is strangely quiet as he waits for Sakura to speak. Sakura distantly realises that she hasn’t seen this side of Naruto since their early Academy days. Before they both changed. His change caused by something she didn’t know, and her own caused by something she wish she didn’t remember. But that was all irrelevant. At least, in this moment.

“Those weren’t dangerous fires, Naruto.” Sakura asserts, because that has to be made clear before anything else. “They were funeral pyres.” Sasuke stiffens beside her but Sakura doesn’t turn to look at him. She keeps her eyes facing forward. Staring sightlessly into the dark woods in front of her. 

“Funeral pyres?” Naruto’s repetition in form of a question breaks the short silence. Sakura glances at each of the boys before nodding, slouching into the porch steps behind her.

“Yes. Funeral pyres.” Sakura takes a deep breath, forcing herself to sit up. She leans over her knees, propping her elbows up and supporting her head. “In countries like Wave, island countries I mean, funerals are different then in Konoha.” Sakura peeks at Sasuke through her peripherals and it seems the genin has already figured out what she is going to say. Naruto perks up from his seat next to her.

“Like your grandparents?” Naruto asks, and Sakura is surprised he remembers that. She hasn’t spoken of them since the second year of the Academy. She supposes that it goes to show that Naruto has been paying attention to her for a very long time. For far longer than she deserves, really. Especially with how she treated him. Sakura nods again.

“Yeah. Like my grandparents,” Sakura confirms, “Those funerals are different, as I said, and are often known as the Blessings of the Islands. Or as many observers have called them, the Blessings of Contradiction.” It feels strange to be saying the names out loud. After all, Sakura never expected the people of Wave to accept the rites and had started on her own. She thought that the names were to be kept private in her memories. Never spoken aloud again.

“The rites of fire and water,” Sasuke’s voice speaks up from her right. “Today was the day of burning, wasn’t it?” Sakura jerked her chin up and down at the assumption.

“The first. There will be two this time.” Sakura says, a slight correction. A few minutes passed, the sounds of crashing waves and ocean wind filling the quiet. Finally, Naruto asks the question she was waiting for.

“Why were the funeral pyres lit where you were training Sakura-chan?” His voice is a bit subdued, as if he hadn’t wanted to ask the question. He probably didn’t. If Sakura’s assumption is correct, he had most likely wanted her to explain, rather than having to ask the damning question himself. Sakura promises she will make it up to him later. As it is, Sakura stands up. She walks forwards a bit before turning. She determinedly makes eye contact with both of the boys as she replies.

“Because I’m the one who started the funeral rites.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real notes for this update, but I have posted the first chapter to one of my older fics! It’s called ‘re;blossom’ and I started writing it last year. Updates for real;blossom’ will be much, MUCH slower than this one so be warned. I’d like to think it’s also good quality though. Please enjoy reading it if you do happen to hop on over to it.


	6. Thirty Minutes, Twelve Hours, & Three Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Little talks.”
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank so much to @Megami_Tsunami for her barrage of /cherished/ comments! I also really appreciate you heading over to my other fic as well. Also, big thanks to @Nobody for commentating on Ch. 3. Much appreciates. Very grates.

**_Sakura’s_ ** words are quiet, but the silence that follows makes her wish she had shouted. Or screamed. Anything to fill the gap. Her courage quickly fails, and she looks away. She catches Kakashi’s gaze out of the corner of her eye. His eyes ask her if she needs an out. And maybe this is a terrible idea, but she knows that if the boys react badly the results may be worse. So to ensure she can become more confident in the Haruno Sakura that she is becoming, she nods her chin just the littlest bit. Kakashi immediately stands with a clap, drawing the boys’ attention. _It will be easier to show them than to explain._ Sakura mentally chants to herself. It’s what she had done with Kakashi and Tazuna’s family. But perhaps the boys were different. Perhaps they would hate her for it. They were both orphans longer than her after all. Naruto might’ve understood should his islander parent have survived, but they didn’t. And Sakura cannot remedy that right now.

“It’s past midnight, my little genins, and I’m sure you’ll want to rest before training at eight.” Kakashi reminds the boys of the time. Naruto looks like he wants to protest at first. But then he submits, half-heartedly asking one last question.

“Why aren’t you curious sensei?” Naruto’s voice is half-sullen, half-searching. Kakashi rolls his shoulders, throwing a look over his shoulder as he replies.

“I was there.” Kakashi answers simply, before he disappears into the house. Sasuke and Naruto quickly follow, leaving Sakura alone outside. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. Sakura doesn’t know how to feel about the situation. She is closer to her sensei, as he has yet to break her trust. But the boys on the other hand… Despite constantly leaving her behind, this mission has seemed to split them even further apart. She doesn’t know if she can mend the rift in the little time they have before Zabuza’s inevitable comeback either.

Suddenly, a warm hand grasps her own, pulling her. Her eyes snap open. At the sight of Naruto standing in front of her, she instantly relaxes a bit. If he was the one pulling her, it would make sense that her field wouldn’t alert her. Naruto tugs her inside. As they enter, she spots Sasuke just beyond the door. He turns to look at her, limbs sagging as his face twists with a tired expression.

“Sensei said that you want us to come tomorrow,” Sasuke tells her, grabbing her other hand lightly. His grip is weak enough that should Sakura pull away, his fingers will simply slide off. Sakura is viscerally aware of the fact and turns her hand slightly, sliding her own fingers through his as he continues to speak. “You mentioned two days of burning?” Sasuke ends the statement with a questioning lilt, upturning the tone as the three of them make their way to the stairs. Sakura coughs a little.

“Yeah.” Sakura confirms. Sasuke grips her hand tighter at the reply, breathing through his nose harshly.

“So you burned the children today,” Sasuke assumes, voice hard. Naruto stiffens slightly at Sasuke’s statement, but doesn’t let go of Sakura. He just keeps leading their little pack. Sakura isn’t really surprised at Sasuke’s knowledge of the island rights. He has had the whole of the Uchiha library at his finger tips since he was seven, after all. It seems callous thinking that way, but Sakura knows it to be the truth. And really, she doesn’t know how to phrase it any other way. Sakura belatedly realizes that they are heading for her and Kakashi’s room. She also realizes that the boys had noticed her little trick, and weren’t going to let her get away with not telling them anything that night. A warm feeling bubbles up within her at the thought. For some reason, the distance that had just stretched between them was almost nonexistent. Sakura’s forehead lightly bumps into Naruto’s back as he stops and opens the door.

“Hey sensei,” Naruto greets, a wry grin on his face. Sakura isn’t really surprised at the sight of their sensei sitting up on his futon next to the wall. She had a feeling that Kakashi wouldn’t have let her flee the conversation. Especially with the way she had collapsed into his arms after the initial burning. Sasuke and Naruto simultaneously guide to where Kakashi is sitting, the three of them gently toppling like dominoes. When Sakura gathers herself afterwards, her head is pillowed by one of Kakashi’s thighs with Sasuke and Naruto laying down on either side of her. She giggles breathlessly and then spends the next few minutes collecting her breath. At some point in that time Kakashi begins carding his fingers through her hair. It’s comforting.

“On the islands, mass burials are so rare, there are only three known documentations of them. One burial for each document,” Sakura begins, voice soft and sad. The day is done, and all that is left is recollection. She cannot put it off anymore. So she explains the connection between the children and the sea. Tells her teammates and sensei of the importance that the children be burned first. That when island children are lost early, the ocean expects their names to be returned. That they must have their named stones thrown first, no matter what. Sakura talks until she can no longer speak, voice hoarse. Then she stops. She stops and just _breathes_ , hoping beyond hope that somehow the boys will understand. She already knows that Kakashi has. Or at least accepted her need to complete this task. If he hadn’t, he would have left her to burn the bodies alone. And she was so, _so,_ happy that he hadn’t. That Kakashi has stayed and even comforted her. Naruto breaks the quiet first.

“How many?” Naruto asks, his voice hanging in the air long after he finishes speaking. With the way that both Kakashi and Sasuke perk up, Sakura can tell that they want to know the answer too. She swallows, croaking out the answer like it was pried from her lips with an iron. And when it comes to the people she cares about, there is nothing stronger than what they want. Especially with something as benign as Naruto’s question. Even if she wants to spare Naruto the pain of knowing. He has somehow been so happy and positive through everything that’s been thrown at him. And so _nice_ to Sakura despite all the things she’s done to him. But she she tells him anyways. Even if it’s only making-up for earlier.

“One-hundred.” Sakura brings the number to light. And despite the fact that they are _shinobi,_ that they are on a _mission,_ and she definitely shouldn’t have _continued_ the burial rites past her sensei’s awakening—despite all of that, despite _any_ of that—Sasuke is the one who breaks her assumptions. Tears them down with one sentence she never expected to hear. Especially out of the boy who has only ever seemed to have one focus the majority of the years she has known him.

“So that was your training?” Sasuke’s words are a cover-up, the same excuse she used just the night before. They are the result of Sasuke accepting what she has done. And they are a promise. A promise to keep her actions a secret should a troublesome situation arise if someone else knew. Sakura knows this, and cherishes the trust she has just been given like it is a necklace of jewels given to her by the Daimyo. She knows that if she breaks it, she will never get it back. Sakura swallows, clearing her throat and mouth.

“Yeah. I used the Doton jutsu to carve the names.” Sakura admits. It was kind of funny actually. After practicing the jutsu over a hundred times she was finally pro efficient enough in her own creation not to be an embarrassment to herself. Naruto takes the opportunity to join the conversation after Sakura is quiet for a few seconds too long.

“You gotta show us sometime Sakura-chan,” Naruto comments, “Maybe after the bridge is done?” Sakura nods again, her mouth stretching in a large yawn. She means to agree out loud, but she ends up staying quiet. It is fine, however, since no one else continues talking either. Instead, Sakura falls deeper and deeper asleep, her sensor range expanding to encompass the entirety of Tazuna’s house as well as a hut of the forest surrounding it. She may trust Kakashi and her teammates, but that just doubly meant that she wouldn’t be able to bear it should they get hurt on her watch.

Sakura adjusts her sleeping position, nuzzling into Kakashi’s abdomen. He is warm, and more importantly, _safe._ With that, Team Seven is blissfully asleep. Asleep in a way none of them have been for years. Left unattended by their usual demons. The plague of their nightmares lifted for the night. They simply sleep, curled up together on mismatched tatami mats.

_Sakura’s echo keeps watch, scanning their sensory net every few minutes. Hibiki, Sakura once called her. When she was stronger, and more than just the echo she was named after. But even with Sakura’s faded memory Hibiki cares for her. And so she stays awake through the night, warding away any dangers to keep Sakura safe. Keep safe her best friend and those beloved by her._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In reference to something that @Megami_Tsunami said a few chapters ago; The boys didn’t know, and didn’t care to know what Sakura was doing. They only know now because Kakashi tells them. Keep this in mind for later chapters. Thinks look well though, don’t they? At least, for now...


	7. Twenty-One Hours & Three Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The second day of burning."
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH! So many lovely comments from repeated offenders like @Megami_Tsunami and @pinklemonade123 (wink wonk). I'm super grateful. To all of you, including new and recent commenters @knightlypixie and @Meep24687. Thank you so much!

**_Sakura_ ** has been assigned Tazuna duty, not that she particularly minds anymore. The boys still have yet to master the tree walking exercise, so Kakashi will stay with them until ten-hundred hours before bringing them to the burial grounds. Currently it was half past oh-nine-hundred hours, roughly three hours after they had all gotten up and split for the morning. She had to admit, she was a little jittery. On the islands, when there is a second burning day, the fire that lights the first torch is always a different color. The exact shade determines the state of things that caused such a mass burning. Sakura knows that for Uzushio, it was a bright, wicked green. _Greed._ With unexplainable flashes of an ugly, dirty brown. _Backstabbing._ She still remembers the day that Ayumi-obaa-san had told her the tale; just a few months after Sakura’s parents had passed. The old woman’s eyes had been dark and grave. Sakura shivers a bit at the memory. Sakura hopes to never know the horror that brought such a _terrible_ expression on Ayumi’s face. But she is a shinobi, and it is likely that she will. She has read all of Konoha’s history books. And as awful as it is, mass deaths on the mainland were a trend.

Sakura flickers her sensory net, noting that all the builders are accounted for. Including Tazuna, the snippy old builder. She had called him a plain old ‘builder’ just once and the craftsman got all touchy about being a _master_ ‘ builder. Though Sakura internally scoffs, she isn’t truly bothered. It was just something to distract herself. Her mental alarm rang once, her echo moving a bit at the back of her mind. Sakura inhales deeply. It's been four days since Zabuza and she can finally handle the salt permeating the air without coughing. Tazuna’s alarm rings not a few seconds later and all of the builders begin packing up. Sakura exchanges nods with Tazuna and begins heading to the burial grounds. Oddly enough, she can just see the bump of the hill that the grounds are on from the bridge. She supposes that it is an unnecessary observation, but a detail she notices all the same.

The ashioto are waiting for her when she arrives, in a similar formation as the first burning day. There are six on either side of the remaining corpses, twelve in all. Each one is stationed at either the beginning or the end of the six rows. All perfectly moved into the position of itawari. Sakura’s position remains the same, however. She will split the bodies perfectly down the middle, alighting the pyres of the thirteenth column. Again the worry concerning the color of her torch’s flame nags at her. She shakes the thought. She has a duty to do. A glance to her left reveals the rest of her team standing where Kakashi and Tazuna’s family had yesterday. The group of three stand a little to the side, almost mirroring Imari and Tsunami. Tazuna and the rest of the builders have yet to make it. Looking beyond them, Sakura sees the rest of the town in a large crowd. This time some of the kids are mixed in, clenching light green, almost white ribbons in their hands. It’s a good sign. Ribbons like those are usually tied to the staves of the sentinels, the role that the ashioto are upholding. Sakura makes eye contact with one of the kids before nodding. The child brightens, then bolts for the nearest ashioto.

Sakura herself turns back to the sea front. The waves glitter just a bit further southwest of the path’s decline. For some reason the path seems darker than before. As if it has been tread for years, instead of left abandoned for just as long. Sakura goes, knowing that another piece of dry driftwood will be waiting for her. Unknowing, however, of what colour it will burn. The thought scares a little, if she’s honest with herself. But she needs echo to hold in that fear. At least until the rites are over. At least until they finish this mission. Something in Sakura knows she might just keep pushing it off, but again; Sakura doesn’t have time to think about it. Instead, Sakura takes the last few steps to reach the beach and sees it. The driftwood lies a little further inland than before, but she has no doubt that it has sat there since she threw the children’s named stones. Nonetheless, she walks forward, leans down, and picks it up.

“Katon: Ember Seedling,” Sakura intones for the second time in two days. This time though, the sparks are a dreary grey. They climb up the driftwood, displaying dark red and steel veins of light. Sakura swallows as she connects the meanings. The torch blossoms to life, the flames low and strong. The majority of the fire is grey, but red flickers by every once in awhile. Sakura stares, a chill trying to settle into her bones. The grey, _isolation._ The red, _kin slaying._ Sakura blinks as the wicked green of Uzishio’s fire snakes through. Fast, but powerful. _Greed,_ she thinks. When a torch for a children’s burning day is lit, the flames colour rarely have any deeper meanings. They are almost always soft, happy colours. Meant to comfort them on the chance that they have yet to pass on completely. Despite that difference, the burning days of children are still worse. Because the fact of the matter is, children died. Sakura turns around and heads to the path. She has already started singing the blessing underneath her breath. 

“Forgive the dead, they didn’t know. Oh ocean risen through sea and flow,” Sakura’s voice is quiet as she makes it over the rise. It is not long until she reaches her place. A cursory glance reveals each stave with a ribbon tied and knotted just beneath the portion that will be set aflame. _Another tradition fulfilled_ , Sakura supposes. Though it isn’t wrong to forego the thing of the ribbons, as happened yesterday, it is oddly fitting for it to be completed now. On the last day of burning. Sakura lifts her head, squaring her shoulders as she raises the torch a bit, holding it out in front of her.

“Flicker and current, they burn and grow. Young as they come, and old as they go, Forgive the dead, they didn’t know,” the blessing is slightly different this time Sakura knows. But what she also knows is that many names have been hidden forever by the waves for lack of it. When brother kills brother, or father kills daughter, or mother kills son, the sea does not so easily forget. Unless someone pleads on behalf of the islander who committed such a grave sin, the sea will not easily forgive either. There have been figures written of throughout history whose named stones never returned to shore. And these people, Wave, they need that hope. The hope of their lost ones returning. The hope that the named stones will one day appear on the beach. So Sakura pleads, bending down on one knee and still singing.

“Oh ocean risen through sea and flow; as the waves rise, so too will the currents build high and low.” A loud thunderclap echoes across the field as Sakura touches her torch to the first circlet. A smattering of claps and booms follow as she stands back up, the song of blessing nothing more than a whisper now.

“As the sea rises, the ocean too, will flow _.”_ Sakura finishes, and light rain bursts from the clouds overhead. It passes quickly, lasting just a few seconds. But it’s effect is deafening. Sakura can hear her mother’s voice over the fading roar, and she is sure that she is not the only one to hear a lost one. She wonders how long it has been since the proper rites have been completed in Wave. From the ocean’s reaction, it has been a long, dry, and painful season. A season of hiding away, ignoring the dead, and hoping for a better tomorrow. Sakura’s fire regains its strength, and the dancing of the flames steals Sakura from her thoughts, It is a reminder. She continues.

Ahmya is at Sakura’s side in an instant, a slightly different torch in her grip, unlit. Sakura nods to her, turning to face Ahmya. They both lean forward, foreheads touching. As they look down at their hands, Sakura brings her torch close enough for the fire to leap onto Ahmya’s. They speak together, though Ahmya’s words are that of her own dialect.

“ _The ocean too, will flow._ ” They both slowly return to an upright posture, turning on their heels and heading in opposite directions. Sakura to the left, and Ahmya to the right. When Sakura stops in front of the first ashioto, he waits for her to raise the torch before dipping his stave into the flames. The steel flames flash, then settle with a crackle. The ashioto turns from her, slanting his stave towards the ashioto next to him, and Sakura knows her part there is done. So she turns around once more, taking slow but sure steps back to the thirteenth column. Like the first day of burning, Sakura falls into the cyclical motions of stepping, kneeling, and then standing up again. This time however, there are only five rows left to alight. Sakure moves methodically down the column, and when she stands after lighting the last circlet, her team is standing right in front of her. Kakashi in the center with Sasuke and Naruto flanking his sides. Sakura is glad to have remembered to set the torch on the final body. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to burrow herself into Kakashi’s arms, sighing in relief at his whispered comforts and strong embrace. Surprisingly Two other sets of arms surround her not long afterwards, Naruto’s furnace heat notably appearing first. Sakura is completely shielded from the world in that moment. 

“They’re resting now Sakura-chan. At peace in the pure lands,” Kakashi murmurs into her ear, tightening his arms around her. Sakura almost thinks it a dream, but the presence of her echo lets her know that it isn’t. She mentally views the scene in disbelief. If anyone who had known her during the Academy saw her in that moment, they wouldn’t have believed it. Back then, Sakura defended herself with a fake personality and an even faker obsession. She had maintained her walls even at graduation, almost losing her chance at becoming a shinobi for fear of letting herself go. Now, it was almost as if she was a different person. A different, _so much better,_ person. Sakura revels in the team hug for a moment more before moving to step back a little. Sasuke and Naruto quickly get the message, releasing her and moving a bit away. While Sakura’s eyes are a little watery, she had spent most of her tears on the first day of burning. Good thing, too. She didn’t want Sasuke or Naruto to see her as a blubbering mess. 

“Thank you,” Sakura whispers, attempting bow. Kakashi’s hold on her stopped her from bending much, however, so she could only bend her head a little. “You all should return to training.” Though Sakura had to stay in order to finish the rites, the boys didn’t have to. Especially with their confrontation with Zabuza lying eminent in less than three days. Opposite to her expectation, all of the boys simply shake their heads. A closed-eye smile spread on Kakashi’s face as he waggled his pointer finger in Sakura’s face.

“Nuh-uh-uh Sakura-chan,” Her sensei denies chastisingly, “You remember our motto, don’t you?” It seems almost practiced the way Sasuke and Naruto quote their sensei next, the latter beginning the saying while the former finishes it.

“Those who break the rules are scum,” Naruto starts, swinging in close on her left.

“---but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum,” Sasuke’s tone is a grave tone of promise. Sakura hadn’t expected the boy’s ‘avenger personality’ to take Kakashi’s first lesson to heart, but maybe something had changed. Burying a hundred children---or even just hearing about it---does something to everyone after all. Kakashi snaps his fingers, regaining Sakura’s attention.

“And you’re our friend. Right, Sakura-chan?” Her sensei asks leadingly. Sakura has to choke back tears as everything hits her at once. She had pushing people away for so long, she didn’t know how to properly let anyone back in. Her echo nudges her, reminding her that there was only one answer to a question like that. One answer for a man like Kakashi and the boys surrounding her.

“Yes,” Sakura chokes. And then she burrows herself back into Kakashi’s embrace.

They may have to fight Zabuza in less than three days. The boys may be unable to do the tree exercise just yet. But Sakura has faith in them. Faith in her team. And if they're willing to wait hours for corpses to turn to ash, for Sakura to gather the stones, throw them to the waves and only then return? Turning into a blubbering mess might’ve been worth it. Sakura presses a wobbly smile into Kakashi's chest.

Maybe a little more than just ‘worth it’.


	8. Eight Hours & Four Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Lichtenberg-figuren, like branches... ...but scarred white."
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My thanks go out to the lovely @Megami_Tsunami for her wonderful feedback! As well as more thanks to @knightlypixie and @TotallyNotASquid for your encouraging comments.

**_The_ **pyres burn just as long as the first day of burning, if a little longer. Sakura had suspected as much, but her worry for the boys dwindled when they used the time to meditate and focus on chakra. Well, Sasuke did. Naruto bounced in and out of meditation while Kakashi read his book. Sakura herself had returned to the head of the thirteen column, sitting down with her legs crossed in order to wait. She stands as the remaining wisps of smoke curl into the air, emerging from a-hundred-and-twenty-seven piles of ash. She can see each stone clearly, once in particular sitting in the cove of a ribcage. It lies where the heart used to be, and strangely enough the ribs are the only bones left in the entire field. Sakura used to know what it meant, but that was before. Even then the significance was uncertain at best, considering how little evidence of mas island burials that there was. Sakura takes a deep breath, popping her back with a few twists. Then she moves, beginning the task of collecting the stones. 

Her bucket is still back at the beach, so Sakura takes a bit to retrieve it before returning. She says nothing as her sensei and the boys look on, watching her pick up every stone out of ashes. She doesn’t even indicate that she’s noticed them. She simply continues, placing each name into her bucket with care. When she gets to the named heartstone, she pauses. At first, Sakura had assumed that it was seated within a ribcage. In truth, the bones are little more than dust. They crumble when she reaches past them, sifting away as she curls her fingers around the heartstone. By the time she straightens back up, the ribs are nothing but ash on the ground. As if they had never been there. Sakura turns the stone in her palm, craning her neck a bit to see the name. It is carved in Ahmya's handwriting, not hers, so she knows that this is likely the true name of the person. Oddly enough, there are two inscriptions. _Kaiza,_ they read. It takes a bit for the meaning to come to her, but when it does, a slow sadness drips into her heart. The specific kanji of the first engraving means, _‘emperor’_ . It is a word taken from a foreign language that few barely remember. The second inscription means _‘is fine’._ The name matches that of Tsunami’s late husband, and Sakura wonders if it was in fact the man’s body that laid there. No one would truly know, but there _were_ bodies prepared that were not fully intact… Sakura shakes her head mentally, placing the heartstone in with the others. She is almost done, and there is no use in wasting time wondering.

A quick glance to the right reveals that the boys are still watching her. Only now they are sitting against a nearby tree, resting. They are illuminated by a lantern. Probably left by one of the builders. The warm oranges and yellows flicker across her teammates’ skin, warm shadows sculpting their faces. Sakura is glad that they don’t look bored at least. She collects the last of the stones quickly after that, focusing on completing the rites. She takes the path down to the shore at a slower pace than the first day, breathing in the coolness of the evening as she makes her way.

It doesn’t take long to shed her clothes, and before she knows it Sakura is already walking to the tide. Water bubbles tickle at her feet as they rise in the ocean froth. Sand is lifted a little in the waves, sticking to her legs. The sea is more active tonight. Sakura takes a deep breath in. A moment passes. She sings.

“Given and received, we now hope and return.” Her voice carries on the wind, flying higher and further. It echoes like a cascade strummed on a _*koto._ Sakura would not be surprised if her team could hear it, even from the very front of the burial grounds. The ocean stirs, the tide pulling deeper and rising higher. The waves splash against her lone figure. Unbidden, a soft harmony rises from below. Natural whistles and drums from porous that have risen from deep below. Sakura sings with it, continuing on to the next verse.

“These lessons you have taught us, we swear to learn,” Sakura takes a quick breath, “These names we have cherished, again we will earn.” As the last word is snatched up by a gust of wind, Sakura pulls the bucket up, heaving it onto her shoulder. She tilts the bin, singing again as the stones tumble into the ocean at her feet.

“Freely we give, but still we yearn. Forgive the dead, they know not what they burn.” The ocean explodes in a flurry of motion. Whirlpools swirl viciously in the distance, and angry flashes of lightning strike the water dangerously around Sakura. She knows the sins of the dead, and the sea is furious that she would ask forgiveness. Still, the rites are not done until they are all forgiven. She began this burial. She must see it through. Sakura is a Haruno, and they promise the living. 

“ _Forgive the dead, they know not what they burn,_ ” Sakura sings again, hissing through her teeth as lightning connects to her skin. Jumping, attacking, and burning. Sakura hears her mother. _To forgive the idle dead, you must withstand the ocean’s fury. It will be painful. You will scar. But the names will be accepted, so you must. You are a Haruno, Sakura. We promise the living._ It is from a half-forgotten memory Sakura no longer truly remembers. The words and feelings are there. But what happened, and any images, have faded over time. Her hip is struck next, the lightning crackling as it splits to envelop her side. Sakura groans, but keeps singing.

“As the ocean flows the sea rises, and the currents come to turn.” Her voices hitches as a bolt bites the water directly in front of her, spreading out into nothing. In her mind’s eye, Sakura can see the her grandmother’s _**lichtenberg figuren_ draped across her shoulders. Her grandmother had always been proud of those marks. Sakura had never truly understood why herself, but now she knew. When two bolts of lightning sink into her shoulders, Sakura almost calls it a trick of fate. But the sea knows the Harunos. And the burning of her shoulders is no coincidence. Sakura can no longer keep the bucket up. It falls from her shoulder, sinking beneath the waves along with all of the named stones. Sakura can feel a burn from where the lightning superheated the metal, and it _stings._ The stones are taken from around her feet, sinking into the depths. Sakura is close to collapsing. But even still. The rites are not finished.

“Given and received, we now thank and return,” Sakura whispers, almost silent. The ocean quiets in spite of that. The lightning stops and the thunder rumbles into silence. All of a sudden there is nothing but Sakura, the wind, and the sea. The latter two filled with baited breath. Waiting. Sakura swallows, wetting her throat. Finally, the last verse spills from her lips.

“Thank you for your balm, the forgiveness you turn. As the ocean flows, the sea rises,” Sakura takes one last breath, light rain beginning to fall. “And we all end as feed for fern.” The sky snaps one last time. The sound plugs Sakura’s eardrums, hushing every other sound. When the echoes finish, both the heavens and her hearing is clear. Everything is oddly quiet now, though. And Sakura can hardly spare a thought for anything but the burns spiralling across her skin. Sakura inhales enough air to fill her lungs completely. The breath sits heavy under her ribs. Despite the discomfort of holding it there, she keeps it for a minute. Then she repeats the process, again and again. She controls her breathing in this way until she finally regains the strength to walk. Until she can turn and head back to land. However, she trips on the way. She falls knees first into tiny shells, sand, and bits of coral. Sakura can’t keep herself upright. So she continues to fall, her elbows digging into the seabed. A sharp shell cuts into her skin and the salt of the ocean exacerbates the pain. After a few minutes, Sakura crawls out of the water. Her limbs are feeble as she struggles back to shore and she collapses onto the beach. The waves lap just close enough to kiss her heels.She is back to heaving, forcing air in and out as she works through the pain. She sends chakra to the nerves screaming in pain, hoping to quiet them if only for a little bit. Her bones ache. When her eyes reopen, the moon and stars shine brightly down. Twinkling, as if the storm had never existed. Her skin glows white in the little bit of light, pale even against the sand of the beach.   
  


Sakura considers getting up. The boys are probably worried by now, and if she doesn’t show up soon they will think she’s hurt. They wouldn’t be wrong, but Sakura doesn’t want them to see her this way. She tries getting up. Her success is minimal, and she ends up flopping back down on the sand. She tries to empty her thoughts. To simply focus on the flow of her chakra and the air in her lungs. But again, she doesn’t have a lot of success. But Sakura didn’t get anywhere by giving up, so she keeps trying. She has to calm down, get dressed, and return to her team. So she closes her eyes once more… 

…and breathes.


	9. Five Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Bedrest, Sakura-chan!"
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodness gracious glory y'all! You make me blush! Big thanks to @JustAGuest. @Megami_Tsunami, @Meep24687, and @fangirl_of_glitter for commenting. Please enjoy this next chapter.

**** **_Sakura_ ** is warm. She shouldn’t be, considering she collapsed on a beach the last time she was conscious. And just in shorts and a sports bra at that. She moves to sit up, gritting her teeth as her body immediately begins screaming at her. When she opens her eyes from scrunching them tightly, black spots dot her vision. That doesn’t prevent her from seeing Kakashi of course. But she kind of wishes that it would. Despite three-fourths of his face being covered, her sensei still manages to look both concerned and disappointed. A quick check on her sensory net and Sakura is able to quickly note that the boys are once again in the forest. And from their chakra fluctuations, they are still trying to figure out the tree walking exercise. Kakashi clears his throat and Sakura’s eyes snap back open. She rubs the back of her neck sheepishly, absently noting the bandages wrapped around her hands.

****

“Did you know that would happen?” Kakashi questions her, pushing himself off of the wall he had been leaning on and walking over to her. Sakura winces slightly. Now that she knows her sensei, it seems like she can never lie to him. Looking back, she’s surprised that she was able to keep up her facade for her introduction. Sakura doesn’t prolong her reply.

****

“It… was a possibility,” Sakura admits. She may not have clearly recognized it with all the hurt that clouded her mind when she started the rites, but she had known. Not upfront, but she had technically known. Kakashi sighs at her answer, crossing his arms as he cocks his hip out. As team leader, her sensei has every right to punish her for risking the mission. When shinobi accept missions they are tools for the duration of them. And for Sakura, who descends from a long-faded clan that no one remembers. For Sakura, who is a civilian-born in the eyes of the village--- For Sakura, her role is to be the cannon fodder between danger and her teammates. Sasuke is the last of the Uchiha, and Naruto, he is the last known Uzamaki in Konoha. Should the two be exposed to lethal force, Sakura is supposed to stand between them and the blade. Sakura has known this since the beginning. Has known what to expect. Has observed the difference in the way most of the Academy instructors treated Clan kids when compared to the civilian-born. But as always, Kakashi defies her expectations. Instead, he ruffles her head, obscuring her vision.

****

“You finished, didn’t you?” Kakashi asserts, the question requiring less of an answer and more of a confirmation. When she can see again, she notices how her sensei’s eye lingers on her bandages. The lichtenberg-figuren that creep out from beneath the bandages. Sakura nods, not only to assuage his worries.

****

“Yeah. When it comes to the islands, usually only a blessed Haruno can complete the rites. I’m surprised She accepted me to be completely honest. But it won’t happen again,” Sakura cements the fact in her sensei’s mind. Not as a soothing lie, but more as an unfortunate truth. Harunos that are marked with lichtenberg-figuren cannot lead the rites. It means that they have led the funeral too early, that the ocean was forced to speak to them too soon. Sakura suspects that the sheer amount of figuren decorating her skin is evidence of that. Her grandmother had been marked during the second-ever islander mass burial, just shy of eighteen. Sakura was barely past twelve now. She had undergone no training, had received no blessing. Of course, there weren’t any Harunos left. But to the ocean, children are not meant to burn corpses and beg for the dead’s forgiveness. They are meant to be protected. Sakura’s lichtenberg-figuren are the sea’s eternal reminder that whoever was meant to protect her failed.  _ But,  _ Sakura thinks quietly,  _ her protectors had been felled long ago.  _ Sakura blinks as Kakashi pokes her forehead, face less than a foot away from her own.

****

“Good. Don’t risk yourself again.” It is an order and a request rolled into one. But Sakura can’t promise it, so she simply nods. If she gives her word and breaks it, she’ll be angry with herself. So she doesn’t say anything. Kakashi nods back at her, poking her forehead one more time before leaning back. Sakura inhales and exhales a slow, deep breath. Her sensei may not be the Village, but in the end, when they are back within the walls of Konohagakure, Kakashi does not decide her fate. The people do. The people, and the Hokage. A memory flashes behind her eyelids. It is a depiction of two figures sitting alone on Hokage Mountain. She knows them both and just as distantly. Except the blonde one, now. This mission seems to have changed a lot of things.

****

“Okay Sakura-chan,” Kakashi starts, pausing for dramatic effect, “Your job is to watch the house.” Sakura squints at him, trying to see if he’s pulling her leg. His expression is completely serious, however, and he truly means it. “I’ll be accompanying our charitable client while you and the boys keep Tazuna’s family safe.” Sakura almost rises out of the futon in protest, but Kakashi easily pushes her back down, fingers placed carefully as to avoid her wounds.

****

“But sensei---” Sakura tries but is quickly silenced by her sensei’s withering glare. She shrinks back slightly.

****

“Sakura, you are injured. Defending a vaguely fortified location is best for you right now.” Kakashi almost lectures her, crossing his arms. “And besides, Zabuza shouldn’t show up until tomorrow.” Sakura thinks about it. Of course, Kakashi never  _ has  _ to explain anything to her. He is her sensei, and logically he should be able to give an order and she should follow it, without any questions. But he does explain. And though Sakura may not like it, she is actually the most recently injured this time. If she were to be in battle, she might be an even worse weight than before. In the end, Sakura’s shoulders slump as she agrees.

****

“I understand, sensei.” She says sullenly, drooping. He pats her on the head again and then disappears in a swirl of leaves.  _ Shunshin,  _ if she were to hazard to guess. It doesn’t matter, however, because she will be the one that has to pick it up. Like every other time, a mindless jōnin activated the jutsu inside. Sakura isn’t mad. Just a bit irritated. The colour of her face suddenly drains, a realisation popping up from the back of her mind. If she was basically naked on the beach before she collapsed… …which of her team found her?

****

Sakura jerks back in abstract horror, trying desperately not to think about it. She frantically focuses inwardly on her sensory net, laying back down. Sakura pushes the thought that she is now dressed away. She hopes dearly that Tsunami was the one to dress her, but that is highly unlikely. Sakura throws herself back into scanning her sensory net. She can monitor the house this way as well as rest, she decides.  _ It is going to be one boring day. _

****

**_Nothing_ ** happens. The hours pass as Sakura cycles chakra through her body to accelerate her healing, but other than that there isn’t a thing out of the ordinary that happens. Tsunami does come up once in the afternoon though. The kind woman comes up bearing offerings of warm food and blessedly cool water. Which Sakura tries to inhale without looking too much like a pig. That was reserved for a certain rival of hers. Although… Sakura wasn’t sure she could still consider the platinum blonde her rival. Not in love, anyway. Sakura thinks about it for a few moments. No, she couldn’t. Their rivalry would need to take a different turn. Maybe to see who can become a better kunoichi? Except Sakura didn’t like the connotations the word ‘kunoichi’ had either. Sakura grumbles to herself. She would have to figure it out later. For now, she needs to continue monitoring the house. 

****

Sakura goes for her sensory net again only to realize that the radius has shrunken. She can barely sense the boys, and they keep flickering in and out of range. Sakura checks her chakra stores and wonders why she is surprised that they are so low. Getting struck by lightning really took a lot out of her, it seems. It would take a lot out of anyone if she thinks about it. Plus, she has been actively sensing all day rather than leaving the duty to her echo, who has been in an odd haze as of late. There are no clocks in the room, so she doesn’t know the exact time, but her internal clock is pushing for about twenty-hundred hours. Sakura sure hopes so, because that’s around the time Tazuna returns from work. Which means that Kakashi should be coming back as well. His job is to guard him, after all.

****

When Kakashi’s signature blips onto her radar, Sakura is already forcing herself out of bed. She almost trips on the sheets twisted around her limbs. Sakura pushes through the pain. She needs a  _ hug.  _ She specifically needs a  _ comforting hug  _ from  _ Kakashi.  _ He is  _ warm _ and  _ safe  _ and she can  _ trust  _ him. Naturally, Sakura knows that her current feelings are a byproduct of shunting them away when she was a child, but she kind of doesn’t care at the moment. It’s been years since Sakura has been able to trust an adult. If there was anyone she could trust now, it would be her sensei. At least, she hopes. Sakura is down the stairs in less than a minute, tripping and stumbling all the way. Her limbs are wobbly from lying in bed all day, and it takes her some time to be able to direct them properly. When she achieves full function minus a few hiccups, she waits eagerly by the door. It swings open with Tazuna loudly entering. She waits for the old builder to move out of the way before launching herself at Kakashi. He catches all ninety pounds of Sakura, swinging her a little before bringing her close. Sakura herself presses in. She pretends that her rough movements aren’t causing her shoulders to screech in pain. Her heart fills with an indescribable feeling. Its everything she’s ever feared to feel, and everything she’s ever hoped to feel all rolled into one. She speaks, voice muffled into Kakashi’s shoulder.

****

“Okaeri, sensei.” She greets, the words a little weak compared to her display. She could scold herself later. She’s been alone for just about eight hours straight. Its the longest time she’s been alone since this mission went off the rails five days ago. And throughout that time Kakashi hadn’t been in her sensory net. Not once. It might be bad that the presence of her sensei has become a crutch, but she has at least a year to wean herself off. It takes a while for a team to graduate to chūnin after all. Internally, Sakura knows that Team Seven will most likely move at an accelerated pace. She also knows that by ignoring that fact, she is setting herself up for harder times in the future. She still does so, locking the knowledge away in her mind’s room of throw-aways. Kakashi chuckles softly. The sound rumbles, a deep baritone.

****

“Tadaima, Sakura-chan.” Her sensei replies and Sakura lets go at his return, falling silently to the ground. They begin walking together side by side before Kakashi speaks again. This time in question. “What’s the status of the house?” Sakura hums a bit.

****

“Inari and Tsunami largely stayed in the house for the day. Sasuke and Naruto have been relentlessly training in the forest,” Sakura reports as they walk into the kitchen. Kakashi nods in peripherals, ducking into the dining room doorway.

****

“And what about you?” Her sensei questions pointedly further. A small part of her is pleased that he makes a point to check up on her. She swallows down the happy grin though.

****

“I’ve been getting better. My wounds hurt a lot less.” Sakura answers, being truthful for the most part. Kakashi smiles at her, small and genuine. How she knows through the mask, she can’t quite figure out. But it doesn’t matter.

****

“That’s good,” Kakashi affirms. Sakura lied. All the parts of her are pleased with his concern for her well being. A soft grin creeps onto her face and she has to look down to hide it. Somehow, things are getting better.


	10. Twenty-One Hours & Five Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Battle at the bridge. The ocean churns underneath.”
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's official: my heart has exploded. You guys are just so awesome with the kudos and the comments and---and---mwah! my heart and thanks to @Diecupcakes (saw you at lilly's fic too), @pinklemonade123 (*wink wonk*), @Megami_Tsunami (<3), and last but not least @Phoenix of Athena (sneaking in last minute) for commenting on the last chapter! And here it is, the climax of the Wave Arc, the Bridge Battle!

**_Something_ ** hovers in the air the next morning. Her echo is abruptly very active as well. Stranger, Naruto hadn’t returned until very late, even missing dinner. He’s still on her range when she passed out the previous evening, so Sakura isn’t worried much. But this morning is odd, different in the fact that it is the first day that Zabuza’s imminent return has weighed so heavily. If Sakura’s gut has anything to say about it, it’s that the missing-nin quite frankly _would_ be showing up today. Though Sakura watches as everyone at the table subtly rushes through breakfast, she doesn’t comment on it. None of them seem very keen on talking about their quickness, and neither does Sakura. Her stomach is twisting nervously as it is. So much that she can barely swallow the now tasteless rice in her mouth. But she forces herself to keep eating anyway. She knows that she will need her strength for the upcoming battle.

That’s another thing, now. When she’d woken up earlier, the pain from her lichtenberg-figuren was all but gone. They’ve only been lightly stinging since. She doesn’t know exactly why she no longer has to be in pain, but she doesn’t question it. Rightly so, especially since it only ensures a higher chance of her surviving the next twenty-four hours. With Naruto down for the count, now it will only be the three of them protecting Tazuna. Sakura, Kakashi, and Sasuke since he finally mastered the tree-walking exercise yesterday. Naruto may have also accomplished the feat, but he was out cold upstairs. The earliest they would be seeing the blonde was eleven or twelve. 

Sakura trails a couple paces behind the group as they make their way towards the bridge. She has spread her sensory net as thin as it can go, encompassing the entire town around them and beyond. Sakura knows every person in about a ten mile radius. She knows their intent, and their skill with chakra. She can sense Ahmya as she shadows them from the alleyways. The other ashioto, too, are likely following. But they blend in with the other civilian signatures, so Sakura can only discern their presence by the sounds of their footsteps. Sakura had never told Ahmya she was a ninja, nor that she had been assigned a mission in Wave. Except experienced islanders have always had the ocean pulling at them, and Sakura is marked with figuren. Ahmya will always know where Sakura is. Thanks to Sakura’s abilities as a sensor, she will always know where Ahmya is as well. Sakura angles one of her hands towards a passing alley, keeping her thumb, pointer, and pinky fingers splayed up as she bends the others down. She won’t know if Ahmya sees or returns the gesture, but it doesn’t matter. They are almost to the bridge, and it has already been an unusually cool morning. Filled with mist.

The mist at the bridge is different, and it parts as the chakra woven throughout it bids it to. Sakura has never been more thankful to be able to assign chakra signatures to bodies before. The workers are strewn about the bridge as if they are dead. They certainly look it, despite only being unconscious. Sakura’s heart clenches a little as she recognizes one of them as the father of the ribbon kid. There is no time to think about it though. Just as the mist dissipates, Zabuza and his accomplice are revealed.

“Sakura, guard the bridge builder,” Kakashi orders without looking at her. Sakura nods curtly, moving closer to Tazuna in a defensive position.

“Hai, sensei.” Sakura says as she does so. Zabuza's familiar leer twists his face, but it doesn’t really scare Sakura anymore. The missing-nin is not what has been haunting her nightmares. The roar of the ocean floods Sakura’s ears as Zabuza speaks, but not enough to null her hearing.

“So we meet again, Copy-Cat Kakashi,” Zabuza drawls, leaning his sword outwards a bit. The shinobi is brimming with confidence, and the masked nin to his left echoes the sentiment with his relaxed posture. Kakashi doesn’t tense, but his voice is hard when he speaks next.

“So it would seem, Demon of the Mist Zabuza,” Her sensei returns with the other’s own moniker. The atmosphere is tense. It is all Sakura can do to stay focused and alert in order to protect the builder. Sasuke is shivering in her peripherals. From fear or the cold, Sakura doesn’t know. A wave from the sea below crashes against the bridge. Zabuza chuckles roughly, swinging his blade over his shoulder with a breath.

“Ah, but that genin of yours. He’s trembling.” Zabuza points out, eyeing Sasuke with a predator’s eye. Sakura’s heart seizes a bit. Every facade has a speck of truth after all, and she still cares for the Uchiha. _None of the us may die here._ Sakura promises herself. Even though she knows that she will sacrifice herself in a heartbeat, it is simply a thought. Not her word. Not her spoken word, anyway. Sasuke grins from his position next to Kakashi.

“I am trembling… from excitement.” Sasuke retorts, his voice serious. Sakura personally thinks it a ridiculous line, and a waste of breath. No one would believe the one-liner, but Zabuza plays along with it anyways.

“Oh? Then you wouldn’t mind battling with my apprentice while I fight your sensei. Haku,” Zabuza intones, and his accomplice flickers towards Sasuke, stopping just a few feet away. “Of course, we won’t have to fight if you just give us the bridge builder.” Zabuza taunts, his eyes on Tazuna. Sakura tenses, her glare deepening as she lifts the kunai in her hand higher.

“Sorry, but no,” Kakashi refuses, “Sasuke, occupy Haku for the moment.” The mist immediately thickens as Kakashi denies the offer, and Haku and Sasuke immediately get wrapped up in their own fight. Sakura herself wraps the area around Tazuna and her with layers of genjutsu. The innermost layer causes her figuren to grow slightly sensitive as Sakura calls upon her memory of the final rites. The difference is how she amps up the feeling of being struck with angry lightning, multiplying it until she no longer can. The effect is so strong that Sakura can almost taste the ozone on her tongue. This genjutsu is subtle, but simple. If Zabuza realizes it’s there, then he can easily disperse it.

Instead, A howl of agony comes a second later along with a pop and a splash. Sakura’s eyes snap to Zabuza as the man winces, the memory from his clone returning. Sakura hadn’t even felt the water clone dismantle the outer layers. She shivers. The missing-nin has cast his eyes on Sakura now, narrowing them menacingly.

“So the useless little flower has thorns now does she?” Zabuza remarks sarcastically. He takes a step forward before disappearing from Sakura’s sight. Her heart rate amps up, sea wind howling in her ears she faintly hears the clash of blades. She blinks, seeing Kakashi pushing away Zabuza’s broadsword with a single kunai.

“Now, now, Zabuza. Why don’t we keep this as a fight against adults,” Kakashi says with a saccharine undertone as he grits his teeth. Sakura would be annoyed if the comment wasn’t something that saves her life. Zabuza grins, his demonish qualities glinting in his pitch black eyes.

“Alright then, Kakashi. Between men.” Zabuza’s voice is purposefully demeaning, but Sakura refuses to rise to the bait. She has to protect Tazuna. He cannot keep his promise to her if he dies. And the bridge will be built, no matter what Gatō wants. Kakashi and Zabuza quickly disappear into the mist. Swiftly obscured from Sakura’s sight. Sakura edges down the bridge, nudging Sakura to move backwards with her. They eventually make it off the bridge and to a tree nearby. The trunk would cover Tazuna’s back for the most part, and Sakura instructs Tazuna to keep close to it for that purpose. Sakura cannot see any of the battle due to the mist, so she does not even attempt to. She does not have superior eyesight, nor does she know any jutsu to clear a kiri-nin’s mist. So she glances at Tazuna, an order on the tip of her tongue.

“Don’t interrupt me unless we’re both about to be attacked alright?” Sakura demands quickly, already forming hands in a full tora handsign. Tazuna frantically nods. Sakura closes her eyes, and the world plunges into gray and white. Things are shaded in however much chakra they have. White for live, active chakra and black for something with no chakra. The bridge is made out of wood, so the little chakra it still possesses allows for Sakura to easily discern between it and the battling shinobi. Most importantly, her team. Sasuke and Zabuza’s accomplice, Haku, are hazed out on her sensory map, however, almost as if they are covered by a wall of ice. Luckily, Sakura has no difficulties spotting Kakashi and Zabuza. She leaves the genjutsu work around herself and the bridge builder to her echo.

“Sensei, 12 o’clock right at you!” Sakura calls. There is no other option since they don’t have a Yamananka on their team; no mind-speak. She just has to hope that the voice distortion genjutsu she had weaves earlier would do the trick. Another clang rings out, but Sakura should not open her eyes to see. She probably wouldn’t be able to see anything besides. So she ignores the urge and continues to follow Zabuza's signature. Even if her sensei had the Sharingan, he cannot mimic what he can’t see. Her understanding of the dōjutsu may be limited, but she at least knew that much. Sakura sees the tenketsu in Kakashi’s hands begin to light up, but Zabuza is behind him this time. Sakura has faith that her sensei can at defend against or, at best, avoid the strike. But faith has never prevented injury or even death on the battlefield. She saw how that course of action ended with the two Demon Brothers. She refuses to see it again.

“Nine o’clock, starboard,” Sakura calls out again. This time Zabuza roars in anger after his attack is blocked again. Sakura has to force her body to stop shaking.

“I thought this was a battle for adults, Copy-Cat,” Zabuza huffs out, the air currents suggesting that the shinobi had swung his broadsword in a wide arc. Sakura winces, having forgotten that little tidbit. She felt a little bad for throwing away Kakashi’s protection like that, but they were all shinobi. Rarely did they ever play clean by sticking to promises like that. Her sensei’s reply while cheery still bites like a viper.

“When genin graduate they are already considered an adult. And don’t you remember Zabuza? _Shinobi don’t play fair,_ ” Kakashi’s announces, his voice cracking out like lightning from the mist. Sakura watches as Zabuza’s signature rapidly gains a large distance between it and her sensei, most likely shoved away with great force. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck prick-up with a chill. She immediately pulls herself out of her mind and opens her eyes to see a Naruto clone of all things. It quits picking at its nose when it notices that she’s staring at it. Sakura wrinkles her nose. She didn’t want to have seen that. The Naruto-clone skips closer, ignoring her genjutsu completely. _Clearly it’s because either Naruto or this clone of his is as dumb as a brick,_ Sakura thinks privately. It’s a safety measure, considering there is time to ponder perks of allies when they’re in the middle of battle.

“Heya Sakura-chan! Main me is finishing up beating up some goons that Gatō guy sent to old man Tazuna’s house. Then he’ll be right over.” The Naruto-clone informs her, sliding his hands into his pockets and bouncing on his heels innocently. Sakura grabs it’s arm before it can disperse. She tries to do it gently so that it doesn’t ‘poof’ away. When it doesn’t Sakura considers her attempt a success. 

“Help me protect the bridge builder. You’re all I’ve got for back-up right now,” Sakura orders, jabbing her thumb back at Tazuna. The Naruto-clone brightens before nodding, taking a defensive stance in front of Tazuna’s left while Sakura maintains the right. It’s not long before the real Naruto comes running in loudly. Sakura doesn’t even need to check her sensor to know that he’s arrived. 

“Go help Sasuke, Naruto!” Kakashi yells after throwing Zabuza off once more. They’ve all ben fighting for about ten minutes at this point, and Sakura knows that the battle has to come to an end soon.

“You got it sensei!” Naruto shouts, barrelling towards what Sakura can clearly see now as actual walls of ice. At least she wasn’t off by that description. Sakura keeps her eye on the bridge, trusting the Naruto-clone to help her guard Tazuna. Not even two minutes after Naruto idiotically runs into the walls of ice, they shatter and fall. Sakura’s heart, on the other hand, ironically freezes. The scene that she hadn’t been able to see before is revealed. Haku stands, his face bleeding and the mask cracked half off. Naruto is hunched over, his enraged face shadowed. And behind it all, Sasuke is lying on the ground. Senbon poke out of his body like a morbid porcupine, and belatedly Sakura realizes that she is crying.

“Go to him, Sakura,” Tazuna says, voice quiet. Sakura doesn’t acknowledge the release of her duty verbally. She runs to where Sasuke lays on the ground hearing nothing but the roar and crash of the ocean, and the lightning it commands. She shakily presses her hand to his neck, feeling nothing. No heartbeat, yet for some reason, her mind overlays Zabuza’s body over her teammates… her sensory net flashes weakly at her. _With senbon placements, one can induce the impression of death._ Sakura stands, shooting upwards. The movement shocks both Naruto and Haku, and they both stop. Heedless of the dangerous red chakra that pours off of the blonde, Sakura places a hand on Naruto’s shoulder.

“He’s fine Naruto.” She whispers to him, not seeing the scene physically before her, but rather a hundred or so civilian level chakra signatures lead by one pathetically weak one. And then to Haku, “Something tells me Gatō has never intended to pay you for killing the bridge builder.” Sakura looks up at Haku, making eye contact with the boy. Haku stills as she does. He takes an abortive step forward.

“Are you a sensor?” Haku asks her, breathless. Sakura nods in reply. She turns her head to the left, where the mouth of the bridge lies a little beyond Kakashi and Zabuza.

“Gatō and his thugs should be here any minute now,” She looks back at Haku, “Grab yours while I grab mine?” Sakura suggests. Haku shows her a frail grin before nodding.

“I’ll fix your teammate up after all of this is over,” Haku promises. Sakura pats Naruto on the shoulder before leaving.

“Thank you for helping Sasuke, Naruto,” She wraps her arms around Naruto quickly, ignoring the burn. “Watch over him for me, okay? It’s like with Zabuza back in the forest. I promise that our precious friend is not dead.” With that, Sakura runs off, bolting into the mist after Kakashi. However, when she does so, she misses the fragile expression that has overtaken Naruto’s face.

“I promise,” Naruto says, voice barely passing between his lips. And then, a growl unheard by all but the blonde jinchūriki himself. 

**_“That’s a good friend you’ve got there, gaki.”_ **

**_Sakura_ **and Haku barely reach their senseis in time. Kakashi is clearly about to gear up a final move before Sakura catches his arm, while Haku bodily pulling Zabuza backward. Neither of the jōnin has the opportunity to speak before a scrawny man comes parading onto the bridge, clearly visible in the late morning sun. Sakura knows immediately that the midget is Gatō. 

“So you couldn’t have died like good shinobi after completing your task?” The tyrant asks condescendingly before glancing at Tazuna’s position behind the Naruto-clone. “And you couldn’t even kill him at that! Good thing I didn’t intend to pay you,” Gatō spits with a triumphant. Anger rolls off of Haku and Zabuza in waves, but none of it compares to the burning fury that concentrates on a white-hot core within Sakura. Gatō keeps talking, but Sakura neither hears nor wants to hear his disgusting voice. She doesn’t notice that those around her have backed away. No. Instead, her mind is filled with the vision of two-hundred-and-twenty-seven stones. Instead, her ears are deafened by the howling of the sea and the hiss of lightning. She walks forward slowly. Just slow enough for Gatō to realize what she’s doing. For the vermin to order some of his thugs to protect him. It doesn’t matter.

A single wave tumbles into the underside of the bridge.

_“I delivered their names, but still your anger churns,”_ Sakura intones. Her chakra gathers up and the scatters into the air; tiny, invisible spheres that glide into each of the thug’s throat. Most importantly Gatō’s throat. They do not notice it, being as chakra blind as they are. Lightning flashes before Sakura’s eyes as she finishes her plea to the ocean, begging for an act of revenge she cannot perform on her own.

_“I will deliver you their killers, and then you may return.”_ Sakura’s voice hangs in the air for a silent moment. Then, as if amplified by the heavens, the blessing of the islands’ rites floods the bridge site. Sakura’s chakra attracts all of the ambient water in the air and as much from the sea as necessary. It gathers in their throats and chokes them. Unseeing as she is, Sakura drowns them all as they stand ‘safe’ on dry land. She means to kill them too, but someone barrels into her, knocking her out of the haze she had fallen into. The water disperses and her chakra returns, but Gatō and his goons are as good as dead anyway.

“We’ll finish them,” Zabuza declares. He and Haku spring into action, but Sakura barely notices. Instead, her attention focuses on the blonde hair in her face and the furnace-hot arms that hold her close. She hadn’t realized it before but she is shivering. Violently. As if there is no warmth in her left. A shade of her father speaks to Sakura in the silence of her mind.

_“The anger of your heart is warm now, my blossom, but anger chills any who lie in their grave derived of it.”_ It is both a memory and a reminder. Sakura’s echo has faded, for now, overtaxed from managing the genjutsu. She shivers again, slowly hugging Naruto back. Sakura has buried the dead, that much is true. But she has yet to kill a human. Something cold and slimy drips down her back. And she was just about to kill over a hundred of them. Immoral, evil thugs they may have been, but human nonetheless. This time her grandmother’s voice whispers to her.

_“The ocean’s fury gathers over time. When islanders are slain, and if there is a vessel, She will give her punishment on those responsible.”_ Sakura remembers, feeling so, so tired. Sorrow colors her tone as she mumbles the rest out loud, soaking Naruto’s jumpsuit with tears.

  
“ _Even if they are children… even if they are marked._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may have noticed, my dedicated readers especially, but the chapter titles have indeed changed. They're supposed to be apart of a clue path for something coming up soon in the story and... I messed up! I'm truly sorry, but I suppose I was just so excited that @lilly_in_the_stars allowed me to use her idea that I screwed up some of my calculations. Everything is fixed now though! At least, I hope so...


	11. One Hour & Six Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And the times inbetween.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Round of applause to my wonderful commenteers: @sakuraisbadass, @Megami_Tsunami, @TotallyNotASquid, @ysv, @Phoenix_of_Athena, @Layne, and @glittertjegaywitch! I love you all so much. Thank you for your commenting again and again. And thank you to @Layne specifically for commenting for the first time. 
> 
> P.S. Check out the fic summary. There’s a surprise waiting~

**_However,_ **this is not yet the time to have a breakdown, and Sakura knows it. Zabuza and Haku have made quick work of Gatō and his men. Now they are at a standstill. No longer truly enemies, especially as Sakura watches Haku revive Sasuke, removing the senbon carefully and methodically.

“We are no longer under contract to fight you,” Zabuza declares, crouched as he wipes a kunai on one of the dead thugs’ shirts. Kakashi hums, nodding. Naruto, on the other hand, speaks up.

“Only because Gatō’s dead,’ Naruto pauses before asking, “What are you going to do now?”

“Take the b*stard’s money and do what we originally intended to do with our pay.” Haku replies as he stands, walking over to Zabuza. Sakura blinks, not having expected the boy to have a bit of a foul mouth. Though, going on the run with a missing nin was bound to rub off on him. Sakura moves over to Sasuke and picks him up, motioning for Naruto to help her get the Uchiha fully on her back.

“Anything concerning the Leaf?” Kakashi’s voice is mild, but they all know what he really means by asking that question. Haku smiles impishly, taking a step away from Zabuza as he replies. Just out of slapping range.

“Maybe in the future. For a peace treaty, at least,” Haku sidesteps Zabuza’s swipe with practiced ease as he comments, “When Zabuza’s girlfriend wins her revolution.” Zabuza reaches for his accomplice again but can’t reach him before he grunt in pain. His outreached arm snaps back towards his side, rubbing it with the pads of his fingers.

“Like most of what Haku said, we only took this job for funding. Might just use it to disappear.” Zabuza says consideringly, rubbing at his chin after looking away from Kakashi. Sakura’s sensei hums again, sliding the kunai in his hand back into his leg pouch.

“It would be useful to stop being hunted, wouldn’t it? You okay with going down as defeated by a ‘Copy-Cat,’ Zabuza?” Kakashi remarks, making one last jab. Zabuza laughs and straightens. Naruto helps Sakura stand, looking a second away from asking if he could just carry Sasuke instead. Sakura shakes her head minutely. They both turn back to the conversation at hand.

“Wouldn’t mean much if you didn’t know how to use tactics along with those techniques,” Zabuza turns to Sakura, then asks, “Think that old man and this town will cover for us?” Sakura coughs a laugh into her fist. It was weird to go from nearly killing each other to just talking normally, but Sakura supposes it makes sense. She checks her sensory net, blinking in surprise when what feels like the whole town led by Inari and Tsunami are marching towards the bridge. She looks back at Zabuza.

“Probably. We just gotta get them into a different mindset.” Sakura says, wheeling around to face the mouth of the bridge. Naruto makes a questioning noise at her movement, but follows suit.

“Sakura, what---” Her blonde teammate is cut off by a roar of yells and hollers, the sounds of metal banging against wood echoing into the air.

“Looks like Inari took your hero speech a little too seriously, Naruto-kun.” Sakura comments offhandedly. She adjusts Sasuke’s legs in her group then starts walking over to where Tazuna is standing by the tree. A mob of townspeople come into view after a short moment, screaming. Sakura lays a hand on Tazuna’s shoulder and pats it.

“Looks like we’ve got some explaining to do,” She announces. The old builder laughs at her words, wiping a tear from his eye. He nods.

“And I’d be proud of him too, if he wasn’t at the front. C’mon pinky.” Despite already moving towards the crowd, Tazuna doesn’t escape Sakura’s smack to the arm. Her hair may have been pink, but that was obvious. No need to point it out everytime the damn old man addressed her. He only laughs at the hit, rubbing his arm. Sakura supposes they were all due a bit of relief. This mission could finally wrap up. They could finally go home.

**_It_ **takes one hour too long to explain that Zabuza helped them defeat Gatō. A quarter way into that hour Sakura sets Sasuke down as gently as she can. She wants to flop over next to him, but the townspeople are actually demanding her attention. They listen to Kakashi at first, but they want to hear Sakura’s version of events. She supposes that they trust her more. Considering they attended both of the burning days, Sakura does not think it a far-off assumption. If Tazuna notices her shoulders sagging in exhaustion, he doesn’t outwardly say it. But he does convince the villagers to go back home. When the crowd is finally gone, Ahmya and the ashioto appear from the shadows. The former seems to teleport to Sakura’s side, catching her as she falls. Adrenaline shoots through Sakura as she realises her stumble and she tries to stand back up. Her limbs won’t let her.

“Shush, _*yurushi._ We will deal with the bodies. Rest.” Ahmya whispers to her. Despite Sakura’s weak struggles Ahmya still hands her to Kakashi. Sakura’s sensei cradles in her arms, and though she doesn’t want to fall asleep her echo ends up giving the final push. Rather than her sensei experiencing chakra exhaustion like at the beginning of the week, it is Sakura’s turn. The ocean wind sings to her as she slips into her dreams.

**_Strangely_ **enough, Sakura wakes up feeling refreshed only three hours later. She considers sneaking out to go help the ashioto with Gatō and his thugs’ bodies, but she discards the option once she feels Kakashi’s signature right outside the door. When she glances to her right, Sasuke is on a futon next to her. His breathing is even, and when she sets a drop of her own chakra on his network through her chakra sense, the remaining holes where the senbon had been seal up. It makes her feel better if nothing else. She opens her eye fully when the door creaks open, sending a pulse of chakra down her net to see who else is there besides Kakashi. She is surprised to feel Haku and Zabuza’s chakra down in the dining room, but she supposes that she shouldn’t feel too surprised. Her sensei would be foolish just to let them go. Especially since they wanted to be ‘defeated’ by his hands. 

Naruto’s signature is the one heading over to her, and she suspects that he was the one to open the door. If it had been Kakashi, he probably would’ve just appeared without letting the door creak. She makes a show of groaning, scratching her arms upwards and splaying her fingers out. When she finishes, she twists, popping her back and sighing in relief. She feels much less stiff. She lifts a hand to cover her mouth as she yawns. Blonde hair catches her eye and she turns her head to see her teammate frozen in his tracks.

“Hey, Naruto-kun,” she yawns out, splaying her arms open. She feels cuddly at the moment. Since Kakashi doesn’t seem to be leaving the hallway anytime soon, she’ll just hug Naruto instead. Naruto comes closer, but doesn’t go in for the hug. Instead, his eyes tear up, and he abruptly bows extremely low.

“I hurt you Sakura-chan! I’m so sorry. Please forgive me,” Naruto is whispering by the end of his exclamations and his body is shaking. It’s almost as if he doesn’t think she will. At first, Sakura is confused. She scrambled to the edge of the bed, reaching out towards him a bit. Sakura doesn’t remember the blonde ball of sunshine hurting at any point. The battle is a blur, and that’s the only thing that has happened between the morning and now. Then her palm stings. Sakura lifts it towards her face, noting the silvery burn scar and the irritated skin around it. Her panic turns to sadness and her features soften. She reaches out completely and pulls Naruto into a hug. Despite being shorter than her, Naruto is still wider, his muscles well defined. So her arms don’t reach completely around him, but she embraces him as best she can. She feels her shirt wetten.

“You didn’t mean to. You were trying to avenge Sasuke. I don’t blame you at all,” Sakura whispers to him. She knows, internally, that the chakra that hurt her wasn’t Naruto’s. Not really. It felt nothing like him, though it was familiar all the same. In fact, the chakra had held no ill-intent towards her whatsoever. Sakura isn’t an idiot. She has _some_ idea on what the chakra was, but she won’t pry. Naruto is her teammate. She trusts him. She continues. 

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” Sakura reassures him, “Not until you’re ready. Not until you know it’s time.”

“But Sakura-chan, you told us your secret,” Naruto protests.

“It’s not my only secret. Nor am I the only one with secrets on this team. Sometimes secrets are meant to be kept.” Naruto shift awkwardly in front of her. Edging away and rubbing his arm.

“But… you deserve to know.” Naruto insists, pulling away farther. He looks uncomfortable, and the tips of his ears are red. Sakura taps his wrist.

“Hey,” Naruto looks back up at her, “Are you ready to tell me?” Sakura asks. Naruto shakes his head.

“No,” the blonde replies. He sounds ashamed. Sakura taps him on the chest, right over his heart.

“Then I’m not ready to know. C’mon. Let’s go get dinner.” Sakura gets up, flouncing out of the room. She fully expects the blonde to follow. Kakashi does so first, however, sliding up next to her. She hears Naruto’s footsteps thundering towards them.

“Wait up Sakura-chan!” His voice echoes throughout the house.

Sakura grins to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *yurushi; forgiver (Ahmya calls Sakura this for the role she played in the island rites.)


	12. Eight Hours & Six Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Table talks and farewells.”
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars’ “A Hundred Children’s Graves”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super big thanks to @Diecupcakes and @Megami_Tsunami for commenting last chapter!
> 
> We’re closing in on the end of this book. The Wave Arc is technically wrapped up, but there’s still a bit to hammer out before this book ends. Please enjoy!

**_Dinner_** is a little awkward at first, but that’s to be expected. Sasuke of course wakes up in the middle of it and comes flying over the table with a kunai drawn. Luckily, Kakashi is tall and lanky enough to quickly stand and grab the collar of his shirt. He swings Sasuke over the food and settles him onto the floor mat next to him. The Uchiha sits there for a moment, looking completely confused. Everyone continues eating as he gathers himself.

“Sensei,” Sasuke speaks up, turning his head towards Kakashi, “What in the world is going on?” Their sensei doesn’t get a chance to reply as Naruto bombards him with words after hurriedly swallowing his current bite. Sakura suspects that Tsunami had something to do with Naruto’s change in table manners.

“We’re having dinner, teme. After Sasuke fake-deathed you with senbon, Gatō showed up with a bunch of thugs saying that he wasn’t going to pay Zabuza. Then Sakura almost drowned them all before Haku and Zabuza killed them,” he pauses for a quick breath, “Did you know Sakura’s a sensor?” The table is stunned into silence after Naruto’s rant, Sakura excluded. Truthfully, she hadn’t really known that she was a sensor. Nor does she think it a particularly reputable skill. Surely other shinobi had developed it? It must have been normal to track the chakra signatures of fellow Konoha nin. Sakura has never known anything else, and all of the shinobi around her have never had trouble finding her or anybody else.

“Sakura’s a sensor?” Sasuke repeats, directing his gaze to Sakura along with everyone else. Sakura shifts uncomfortably, toying with her chopsticks. She shrugs.

“I guess? I thought everyone used their chakra to locate people.” Now that she’s said it out loud, it does seem kind of stupid. When she thinks about it a bit more, she finds that her fine chakra control is at the root of her ability. An amount of control that she knows not everyone has. When she looks around, every shinobi at the table is looking at her with warring expressions of awe and concern. Even Sasuke, who she initially assumed would be unhappy that she possessed a seemingly rare skill. Sakura would have to learn to stop assuming things about the last Uchiha. He had changed sometime during the mission, and it was screwing up her original assessment of the genin.

“No, pinky,” Zabuza says dryly, “If every shinobi was a sensor then there would be a lot more conflict.” Sakura blinks at the response, reaching up and rubbing the back of her neck a bit. A habit she had picked up from Naruto, sometime during their endless D rank missions.

“Oh.” Sakura says with a lack of anything any better to say. Kakashi drags his hand down his face at her response, pinching the bridge of his nose. She feels a little bad, but she’s a civilian-born genin. How in the world was she supposed to know? Kakashi reaches over and pats her shoulder.

“We’re going to have a nice long discussion on abilities when we get back to the village. Okay Sakura?” Her sensei tells her, nothing short of an order. Sakura nods her head guiltily, looking down as she sticks a sushi roll into her mouth. She chews mulishly, refusing to let the tears that prick her eyes fall. She doesn’t exactly know why she’s so emotional, but the thought of disappointing her sensei suddenly fills her with shame. She wishes this conversation hadn’t happened at the dinner table. Seeming to sense her minor distress, Kakashi turns back to Zabuza and Haku, taking charge of the conversation.

“The town has agreed to keep your survival a secret,” Kakashi reiterates, “So what exactly is this rebellion that Haku spoke of earlier?” Sakura knows she should pay attention, but despite her best efforts she still gets lost in her thoughts. She can always review the memories later of course, but it’s impolite to look inattentive. Unfortunately, the words go in one ear and right out the other, so Sakura gives up in the end. She’ll just have to rejoin the conversation later. Her mind wanders as she thinks about what he happened recently.

This mission has changed their team dynamic almost entirely. It forced Sakura to realize the stupidity of trying to be someone she’s not, and just how much pretending can cost her. Sakura has never thought that one mission could change her entire life. Perhaps she should have at least considered it, at least a little bit. She’s read plenty of books to know that just one mission has sparked wars before. Sakura supposes that she had thought she was special in that way. That she would be different because she was _Sakura_ and not the subject of history books. She has never been so glad to be wrong. While her changes have left growing scars in more way than one, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Because without her scars—without the nicks and scratches of her work—she wouldn’t be the girl that she is today. Wouldn’t be the shinobi that is sitting at this table after a successful mission. Sakura sighs minutely, finishing off her plate. 

She never ends up rejoining the conversation. Instead her full stomach makes her drowsy, and she ends up leaning against Naruto in a sleepy haze. At some point, before she realises it’s happening, Sakura is fast asleep on her teammate. Yet another thing that would have never happened before Wave.

**_Tazuna_ **finishes the bridge the next day. With Gatō gone the whole town chipped in and helped, so the process sped up exponentially. They didn’t bring much, so Team Seven is packed and waiting to leave by the bridge by the afternoon. The reddish wood gleams in the afternoon sunlight and Sakura hardly believes it. This mission truly began with their first encounter with Zabuza, the catalyst event. It’s been exactly seven days to the hour. The ocean song in her ears is enough to remind her that it was those seven days that changed her life completely. That it was those seven days that finally brought her to the doorstep of her past, forced her go through it, and then brought her right back out. Sakura isn’t the same girl that went in of course, but that’s a good thing. She can finally move forwards without holding herself back. All she needs to do now is to hold tightly to these changes in her life and never let go. She has to practice once they return to Konoha. Remind herself every day that she’s not the same girl she used to be until she doesn’t have to anymore. Sakura’s eyes take on a determined glint. Because Sakura has convened with the ocean, and her figuren sit stark on her shoulders as proof.

Tazuna appears a little ways down the hill, walking up to them. Haku and Zabuza are at his side, but once they see Team Seven they blur forwards. It takes Tazuna a few minutes to reach them all. Sakura is not surprised. He is a civilian after all. He grins at them as he arrives, spreading his arms out wide.

“So what do you think? Worthy of a master bridge builder?” Tazuna’s question is both prideful and rhetorical. It’s clear to see the masterful workmanship in the shape and make of the bridge. She wonders why he says it all. Tazuna’s eye sparkles when they all nod and his grin grows wider. Then he looks over at Sakura, nodding his head.

“The bridge’s name is the _Haru no Kibō no Hashi._ In layman’s terms, the Bridge of Hope in Spring.” Tazuna announces, and now Sakura knows why he is looking at her. There is no coincidence in the name. “Hope, for what you have all brought us by defeating Gatō. And spring,” Tazuna pauses as they all look at her, “For the pink-haired lass that used that hope to give our country a good kick in the shin. We needed that.” The old builder looks so grateful, Sakura finds it hard not to cry. Behind him more people are gathering, and Imari and Tsunami had shown up halfway through Tazuna’s speech. Sakura wipes at her eye with her wrist. She is thankful to Wave as well. Completing the rites has helped them both. The ashioto are the second group to arrive after Tsunami and Inari. Ahmya stands at their front, all of them in a position of itawari. Sakura had almost forgotten. The farewells are rites all on their own. Her team, Zabuza, and Haku look a little confused. Sakura can understand that, since logically, someone as measly as Sakura shouldn’t be at the center of attention. But she is, and this time it is because she is a Haruno.

“Thank you, Tazuna.” Sakura says to him, bowing a little. Then she walks over to the ashioto and Ahmya, her eyes softening with tears. Ahmya steps forward and embraces Sakura, hugging her tightly. Salute returns the hug, wrapping her arms around the girl with a vice like hold.

“You must promise to be here when I return, Ahmya. Until then, help this country. _As the ocean flows_ ,” Sakura initiates the promise, whispering into Ahmya’s ear. The girl’s blue hair tickles at her throat as she replies.

“Of course, _*yurushi_. We will protect this place. _As the sea rises._ ” Ahmya completes the vow and then steps back. They step back from each other. Sakura cannot bear to look at her friend any longer. Because that is what Ahmya is. A friend. A support. But still someone she must leave behind. Sakura is a shinobi of Konohagakure, and her village must be out first. They nod to each other before Sakura returns to her team, obviously wiping away tears. When she gets back, both Naruto and Inari are crying, hugging each other with stupid declarations. Sakura laughs a little at the display, but whips back around when she hears Ahmya’s voice echo across the bridge. The words are in her native dialect, guttural as they are beautiful, and Sakura watches as the ashioto spread out across the bridge at her command. They line either side of it, and belatedly Sakura realizes they are each holding the staves from the burning rites. It is a proper send off. She turns back to her group.

“Mah, mah, Sakura-chan. Quite the popular one are we?” Kakashi sing-songs, ruffling her hair. She relishes in the affectionate action, closing her eyes briefly. She glances at Zabuza and Haku.

“We split paths here. When we meet again, hopefully it will be for that treaty,” Sakura says, nodding at each of the missing nin. They return the gesture in kind, Zabuza grinning while Haku smiles gently. 

“Glad to see you grew up a little pinky. Till next time.” Zabuza says, almost like a promise. Haku instead looks to Naruto, a meaningful expression on his face.

“Keep protecting your precious people, Naruto-kun.” Haku reminds the blonde, patting his shoulder. Naruto nods, pumping a fist up in the air. 

“I will, Haku,” a grin splashes across his face, “I'm not gonna run away and I never go back on my word. That’s my nindō!” As Naruto speaks, Sakura looks up at the sky. The ocean song is soft in her ears, and the wispy clouds against the vibrant blue sky tell nothing of the story that took place in Wave, but it doesn’t need to. The hardest part of this mission is over, and now it is time to return home.

Seven days later the dead are buried, the living are pulled from their own graves, and Sakura stands on a bridge named after her, the one behind it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *yurushi; forgiver, forgiveness
> 
> I finally, FINALLY finished correcting the time calculations. Noticed something was off while writing this chapter, so that’s why It’s being posted so late. So check the chapter titles again for their officially permanent names. Hope you enjoyed reading anyways!


	13. Konohagakure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Returning home.”
> 
> Inspired by lilly_in_the_stars' "A Hundred Children's Graves"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you @Megamo_Tsunami for commenting on the last chapter!
> 
> Only two more chapters to go... ( • v < )y

**_They_ ** leave with the entire country cheering behind them, and Sakura is saluted by the ashioto as they walk past. Haku and Zabuza are gone as soon as they finish their farewells, off to wherever life had planned for them next. For Team Seven, they have always known where they would go after Wave. Home. Konohagakure. And for once, Sakura doesn’t feel anxious about it. About returning to the village she has sworn her life to, about returning to an empty apartment with no one waiting for her. Because the people Sakura has grown to cherish are right beside her, leaping from branch to branch in time with her. She knows that the smile spread across her face is a little out of place, but Sakura can’t help it. She is excited about having new people to dote on. She hadn’t let anybody into her heart for  _ so long.  _ Her and her echo both. And yes, maybe letting herself create a family with these three boys may tear her apart one day, but to Sakura? It was worth it. Any terrible thing that might happen in the future was blurred by the happy memories of the now, and Sakura had other things to do than worry about a future that might never happen. She just had to secure these sprouting bonds, tie her team to her in an unbreakable way. Even death wouldn’t break it. After all, as her father once said,  _ ‘Death is just another door. We will wait for you on the other side until you pass through.’ _

Safe enough to say, immortality wasn’t a goal of Sakura’s. She was a Haruno. Sakura’s smile melted from her face as the village came into view. The walls seem a little taller than she remembers, and the vibrant red of the gates gleam in the afternoon light. Konohagakure. The place where her newfound strength would be tested. Where her newfound bonds would be plucked at and criticised. Determination courses through Sakura, and she bumps shoulders with Naruto as she lands beside him on the main road. Kakashi is behind them, Sasuke on Naruto’s other side. She will weather whatever comes next. Their experiences in Wave may have forged their bonds, but Sakura is the one who will keep them. She will never be the girl she was before. That girl had far too many flaws, flaws that she was too invested in herself to see. Naruto returns the bump, grinning at her. They see the customary two chūnin stationed at the gate. Sakura actually recognises them. They’re her neighbours, Kotetsu and Izumo. When Team Seven finally make it up to the gate, just behind some merchant group, Sakura waves to them.

“Tadaima. Kotetsu-san, Izumo-san.” She greets them each in turn. They smile back at her before Izumo pulls a pen and clipboard from their station. Kotetsu approaches them with an easy grin, putting Sakura on the back of her shoulder.

“Okaeri Sakura-chan! Identification please?” Kotetsu requests, brightening a bit as she pulls her shinobi ID from its usual place in her thigh pouch. Naruto pulls his from one of his jumpsuit’s many pockets while Sasuke and Kakashi had already pulled theirs out a tad bit before they arrived at the gate. Kotetsu taps each with a chakra laden finger, then nods towards Izumo.

“All good here, Izumo!” His partner nods, marking things off on the clipboard. He then put the clipboard down back in the station. Izumo turns, looking over at Team Seven. His gaze focuses on Sakura. She shifts, giving Izumo her attention.

“Hey blossom, was your mission successful?” Izumo inquires, while also tilting his chin respectfully towards Kakashi. Sakura would really need to research her sensei when she had the time. There was more reason than just being a jōnin to getting respect everywhere he went. And Sakura would know. She lived in an apartment complex full of jōnin rank shinobi. Sakura grins up at Izumo, giving the chūnin a thumbs up.

“Yup! a C rank!” Sakura confirms. Kotetsu pats her head, ruffling her hair.

“Congratulations are your first C rank kiddo! Wanna go to Yakiniku Q to celebrate?” The chūnin offers, stepping back as she paws at his hand for him to stop. Sakura glances at her team. She kind of wants to celebrate with them. She… doesn’t want to leave them just yet. And honestly? Sakura doesn’t know how well she will be able to handle how far away Kakashi’s signature will be in a village as large as Konoha. Kotetsu immediately notices her uncertainty, and makes eye contact with Kakashi.

“Along with your team, of course. After you report to the Hokage?” Kotetsu amends, and seems to perk up a little. Sakura can’t see her sensei’s expression do to his position behind her, but she takes his sudden ruffling of her hair as a good sign. Kakashi only confirms her assumptions with his next words.

“I’m sure we’ll  _ all  _ be able to make it. When are you off the clock Hagane-kun?” Kakashi’s emphasis isn’t lost on anyone, but the one it’s meant for also doesn’t seem that bothered by it. Sasuke looks rather calm instead, nodding at Sakura when she glances at him. Kotetsu looks over at Izumo with the question, whom sighs in response.

“We switch out at six, you idiot. Seven a safe enough time for all of us?” Izumo addresses the group with his question, receiving nods. “Alright then, head on in. You’re all clear.” Team Seven does just as instructed, though Sakura hisses when Izumo ruffles her hair as she passes. It’s the  _ third  _ time it’s happened in less than five minutes and her hair is probably a terribly tangled mess. Naruto snickers at her predicament, so she grabs him into a headlock and noogies him. The blonde may never know the frustration of infinity knots with how short his hair is, but she  _ can  _ introduce him to the horrors of a sensitive scalp. Team Seven makes their way to Hokage Tower in this manner. Teasing, laughing, and getting small acts of revenge. Even Sasuke joins in, his eyes bright and cheery. It’s an expression Sakura hasn’t seen on the boy since he was seven. It makes her feel warm inside that they were the ones to cause it.

**_The_ ** Hokage’s office is quiet, and Sakura almost physically cringes at the tense atmosphere. She had forgotten that their original mission was supposed to be a C rank. That despite mentioning it to Kotetsu earlier, their mission was originally a C rank. Except those kinds of missions did not usually include B rank to nearly S rank nin popping out of the woodworks. The Sandaime lifts his pipe form his mouth, blowing the smoke out in such a tired way Sakura didn’t think it was possible.

“You all agreed to continue moving forward?” The Hokage questioned once more, placing the pipe down and folding his hands on his desk as he leaned forward. Kakashi nodded.

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” The jōnin confirmed respectfully. Sakura is not the only one in the room to notice their sensei stepping closer to them, herding them near him. The Hokage sighs and glances at one of the papers on his desk. Sakura presumes it is the paper Tazuna had given them the night before they left. The official document that promised Wave’s fulfilment of any pay required of the mission’s upped rank.

“And the country legally promised to pay the missing money for a substantially higher ranked mission?” The Hokage summarises the paper, looking back up at Team Seven.

“That’s correct, Hokage-sama.” Kakashi, despite his cool exterior, has his chakra churning nervously. The feeling heavily influences Sakura’s own emotions, though it probably influences Sasuke and Naruto as well. Even if just a bit. Despite her sensei’s supposed confidence, one can never truly know what the Hokage will decide. The Hokage sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose. A few more tense minutes pass, Naruto shifting anxiously.

“Understood, jōnin Hatake. The mission’s rank will be upped to an A rank due to the presence of Demon Brothers and the Demon of the Mist. You may collect your pay tomorrow, and your team is on mandatory rest for the next week. Dismissed.” The Hokage waves them away, and they leave. Another team enters in after them, but Sakura doesn’t really know them. They were probably a team that had graduated the previous year. By the looks of them, they have remained genin throughout that entire time. Team Seven leaves the tower, and none of them speak as they head to their usual training grounds. Sakura has a feeling they won’t actually be training once they get there.

And they don’t. They all gather at the trunk of a large Hashirama tree and sit down. Kakashi goes first, sliding down the tree a bit before looking up at the sky. He takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. Sasuke and Naruto are next, sitting down on either side of Kakashi and leaning on the jōnin’s shoulders. Their eyes close. Sakura is last, wedging her way next to Naruto and resting her head on Kakashi’s thigh. Naruto’s furnace heat keeps her warm despite the cool wind, and eventually, Sakura closes her eyes too. This far away from the ocean she can’t hear it’s song, but the streams and rivers that flow throughout Konoha have their own melody.

_ “Wind and sky, water swift. Hold close and love your cherished gift.” _


	14. Flowerbed Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Dinner with rivals."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you dearly to @Megami_Tsunami, @RedTruth, and @HestiaFireSide for commenting on the last chapter. Thank you for telling me how my writing has made you feel, and though I don't recommend losing sleep in order to read my fic, I truly am honored. (Plus, I would be a hypocrite if I didn't say that I stay up reading fics myself.)

**_Yakiniku-Q_ **is just how she remembers it. It’s large, wide windows glow a little in the evening light, and Sakura can already smell something amazing wafting from the open door. She smiles a bit. Team Seven had fallen asleep for a couple of hours after arriving at their usual training ground, waking up around five and then splitting to get ready for their evening plans. It wasn’t a surprise that they had all slipped unconscious. Kakashi was technically still recovering, and a full day of running from Wave all the way to Konoha was bound to tire out the genin. Sakura has never had great endurance anyway. She needs to work on that. Still, it’s almost strange seeing the restaurant virtually unchanged. Except for a recent recoat of paint, Sakura can find nothing else different. It's odd because the last time she ate at Yakiniku-Q she was a different girl. Sakura takes in a deep breath and then strides in. 

Her team is easy to spot. They're sitting at one of the more traditional-style tables, a brazier already glowing hot in the middle of it. Kakashi's gravity-defying hair and Naruto’s sunshine blonde locks stick out against the dark greens and browns of the restaurant, and Sasuke naturally sticks out because of his clear Uchiha features. All three of them are on one side, while Kotetsu and Izumo are on the other. The two chūnin have left her usual spot in between them open. Sakura approaches easily, sitting down carefully in order to keep from knocking knees with anyone. Shortly after her arrival the food comes. Izumo always orders for her, and Sakura is honestly grateful for it. She can never remember what she’s tried and liked versus what she’s tried and hated. She may have a near eidetic memory, but that means nothing when her brain is purposefully locking down memories so that she’ll never have to relive them again. The chicken-foot incident being one of many examples. They settle into quiet conversation, talking in between bites barbecue and rice. It’s only as the meal is winding down does the talking pick up, along with Naruto and Sasuke’s battle over the last pieces of meat.

“So, how long have you known Sakura-chan?” Kakashi asks, twisting his chopsticks in the air as he snatches one of Sakura’s _*gyudon_ slices. She huffs, pouting as she snatched a fried piece of eggplant in return. It’s clear that Kakashi lets her do it. Kotetsu ruffles Sakura’s hair as he replies.

“Practically her whole life! She was our first D rank mission, actually.” Kotetsu laughs a little, and despite Sakura’s warning glare, Izumo tags along the line of thought.

“Yup. Cutest pink-haired baby in Konoha. Yessiree.” Izumo adds on, laughing as Sakura swipes at him with her chopsticks. She sticks her tongue out at him, jabbing the chūnin with her elbow.

“I was the _only_ pink-haired baby in Konoha.” Sakura points out, plopping more food into her mouth. Kotetsu takes advantage of her temporary silence, grinning cheekily.

“Lucky for everyone else then. They wouldn’t have made good competition.” Kotetsu asserts. In one swift movement the ravenet steals the last piece of meat on the brazier’s cooking rack. It effectively ends Naruto and Sasuke’s background argument as they watch Kotetsu eat the piece of meat guiltlessly. Sakura feels a little bad at their open mouths of horror. So she takes two pieces of meat from her plate and lays one down on each of the boys plates. Naruto smiles gratefully at her before digging in. Sasuke nods, a thankful look in his eyes. Sakura beams back. Then she jabs Kotetsu in the side just as she did Izumo, actually thanking her mother for her sharp elbows. Kotetsu coughs a bit, choking on his stolen prize. He chokes it down, quickly chasing it with swift gulps of water.

“What? It stopped them from arguing.” Kotetsu protests, confused at her disappointed frown. She jabs her chopsticks in his direction, unhappy.

“Bonding.” Sakura insists, then shoves more rice into her mouth. Man, had she missed Konoha food. Sakura had barely been gone a week, but she had grown up on a diverse array of foods due to Konohagakure’s melting pot of cultures. Straight up eating islander food day in and day out had grown tiring, fast. Sakura hummed as she continued to eat. Kotetsu shrugs, ruffling her hair again before returning to the conversation between Kakashi and Izumo. Sakura doesn’t contribute much to the talking after that. She prefers to sit back and observe, occasionally flagging down their waitress, Kuri, for a bit more meat for the boys.

**_They’re_ ** just about finished when it happens. Sakura should have expected it, really. Not one person held a monopoly on Yakiniku-Q. Plus, the restaurant was quite popular amongst shinobi. Ranging from genin to jōnin. Even dipping down into the Academy students. And in her Academy days, three specific ones. Sakura feel the chakra signature before she ever hears the voice.

“Hey forehead! Finally back from your mission?” Ino’s voice rings out from the restaurant entrance. Sakura turns to see Shikamaru and Chōji at the blonde’s sides. Remembering her decision from Wave, Sakura plants a genjutsu that only Ino can see. She imagines white orchids and alstroemerias blooming across her hair. Exactly where her red ribbon used to be. Ino’s demeanour immediately softens. The Yamanaka breaks Sakura’s genjutsu easily and quietly. The flowers disappear in a fleurie of petals.

“Yeah. We made it back safe and sound,” Sakura replies, her voice soft. And more than just the flowers, it's clear that Sakura herself has changed. She isn’t obnoxiously fawning over Sasuke, neither is her expression irritable from Naruto’s constant chatter. If not for her pink hair and green eyes, even Sakura would think herself to be a completely different person.

“But you couldn’t bother to come find me? Gee, some rival you are,” Ino sighs, plopping down next to Sakura. Kotetsu had inched a bit to the side after seeing Ino’s friendly disposition. It was odd, but Sakura loved the antagonistic atmosphere that she could share with the platinum blonde once again. It had been too long. Sakura smiles cheekily, poking Ino as the girl casually picks up a pair of extra chopsticks and steals from Sakura’s gyudon. Shikamaru and Chōji have taken up places at the end of the table; Shikamaru next to Izumo and Chōji at the very end.

“Well when a shinobi works hard they have to rest for a bit, Ino-pig. Are you saying you don’t?” Sakura replies with a taunting lilt, her question clearly rhetorical. Ino grins and takes the comment for what it is. 

“Hah? Think you can be a better shinobi than me, Sakura-chan?” There is no mistaking the way Ino phrases the question, and Sakura is glad they are able to fall back into their old relationship. _No._ Not quite. More like they are forming a new one out of the ashes of two little girls’ foolish decisions. Sakura snatches another stolen piece of her meal straight from Ino’s chopsticks, popping into her mouth. She chews quickly, swallowing her prize with a grin.

“Oh I know I can.” Sakura declares, her eyes following Ino as her rival in _skill,_ not _love,_ stands up smoothly from the table.

“We’ll see, we’ll see.” Ino says, turning towards her teammates. They’re about to leave when Kakashi clears his throat, a closed-eye smile stretched across the jōnin’s masked face. Ino, along with the rest of the table, turn their heads towards him.

“No offense little Yamanaka, but I’ll be helping Sakura-chan out.” Kakashi confides to Ino, leaning over the table a little bit in the platinum blonde’s direction. Ino laughs, sharp and short.

“None taken, jiji-sensei. See you later Sakura!” Ino waves cheerily, disappearing with her team just as a chopstick goes hurtling through the air in her direction. The piece of wood pierces the door frame, wedging in between the border plank and the actual wall. Everyone looks from the damage back to Kakashi, who throws his arms up, leaning back. Sakura blinks. Once, and then again. Finally, Kakashi sighs.

“I’m _not_ old,” the jōnin complains. Everyone is silent for a minute more, staring at Kakashi. Sakura’s sensei looks at her pleadingly, “Am I?” Sakura looks away, covering her nose and mouth as she tries not to laugh. A soft little _snrrk_ gets out anyways.

The entire table bursts into laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gyūdon; beef bowl (Gyūdon, literally "beef bowl", is a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with beef and onion simmered in a mildly sweet sauce and flavoured with dashi, soy sauce and mirin. It sometimes also includes shirataki noodles, and is sometimes topped with a raw egg or a soft poached egg.)


	15. Cloudcover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ninken and a cherry blossom nindō.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An hour late at 01:00 in the morning, but that’s okay! Thank you so, so very much to @Dark_Magic, @najehoranstyles, @Crippled Cryptid, @Bastetsyoungestkitten, @Megami_Tsunami, and @fangirl_of_glitter for commenting on the last chapter. This is the end of the book, but keep hope! The second one will be arriving before you know it. Thank you all for sticking with my story from beginning to end. I love y’all so much! ( • 3 < )y

**_The_ **morning air is cool and crisp. A small breeze caresses Sakura’s skin as she lays on the grass, morning dew kissing her exposed skin. It's been a few days since they finally made it back to Konoha, and Sakura finally has a chance to well and truly breathe. By herself. Without anyone poking at the reasons behind her sighs. Sakura stays there for a while, enjoying the shade of the Hashirama tree. Surprisingly, she gets a lot of hours to herself. It’s strange how her team’s chakra signatures linger sporadically at the edges of her sensory net rather than right next to her. The clouds pass by lazily, moving at the pace of the wind across the sky. She used to wonder why Shikamaru always sat on this hill cloud watching, but now she knows. It’s therapeutic in a way. It helps her thoughts settle and focus when she’s tired of being stuck in her head overthinking. Despite the fact that their mission is well and truly over, Sakura knows that Wave will always be an important part of her development as a shinobi. The marks from her experiences there will never leave. But Sakura is fine with that. She blinks up at the branches above her, sunlight filtering through the leaves.

“Hey there, sensei.” Sakura greets Kakashi with a smile, her eyes closed as she basks in the speckled sunlight. She hears the jōnin mix a huff and a laugh, a temporary breeze brushing her hair out of her face as Kakashi undoubtedly shunshins next to her. The two-fingered poke to her forehead marks her assumption as right, and she opens her eyes slowly. Kakashi smiles back at her, smoothing his hand over her hair. Sakura is surprised to see the jōnin here at all, considering his usual disappearing act. Before Wave, she’d never bothered to track his chakra signature. So she didn’t actually know where Kakashi went when he was avoiding his team for a solid four to six hours. Kakashi temporarily pulls her from her thoughts when he moves towards the tree trunk. Her view of him goes sideways as he sits down. Her head is suddenly lifted, the sky growing closer. Sakura moves her hands downwards, unsure of what to do with them at the moment. Then she is gently set back down right onto Kakashi’s thigh. Her hands naturally fold over her stomach and she lets go of a satisfied sigh. This was far more comfortable than lying on her hands. Which, of course, now have a terrible case of pins and needles. The situation is still a bit awkward however. She had feared that her bond with her socially awkward teacher would unwind once they returned. Obviously, that wasn’t the case. Her thoughts wander.

The Hokage had given them three rest days. After today and the next day, they would be back to D rank missions. Hopefully with an improved relationship. Sakura is unsure how she will be able to handle Naruto and Sasuke going right back to intense arguing even after all they’ve been through. At least, the kind of arguing that gets no work done. And now that Sakura thinks about it… she’s going to need to subtly teach Naruto a fair few things. She doesn’t want to admit it, but she was so wrapped up in her own pains and sufferings that she refuses to acknowledge others’. That was probably the reason why she obsessed over Sasuke so much. He was an incredible student at the Academy, and looked as if nothing affected him. As if he could manage fine and well without anyone to care for him. Sakura was jealous of him, if she were honest with herself. She had lost everything first, was a civilian born, was _ignored_. What kind of right did he have? Is what Sakura used to think. Scenes from Wave flash before her eyes, causing Sakura to flinch. Visions of bodies lining the streets. Of dismembered dead strewn with no care or regard. Sakura breathes softly. Except, life isn’t a competition in suffering. A hard lesson she never even realised she learned until she collapsed on the beach, lightning burning at her shoulders. Sakura startles as fingers begin running gently through her hair.

“See that cloud?” Kakashi whispers, his unoccupied arm stretching over Sakura’s head and into her line of sight, pointing at the sky. Sakura squints at their portion of the sky, eyes flickering from cloud to cloud. She tries to follow the direction of his finger, waiting for further clarification.

“Mhm?” She hums through closed lips, prodding Kakashi to continue. Her sensei does, shifting a bit with a breath.

“I have ninken just like it.” Sakura kisses a breath, but her eyes are immediately drawn to a dog-shaped cloud. It has little in the way of detail, but that isn’t what is occupying a Sakura’s mind at the moment. She had never really considered her sensei as a dog person. But now that she thinks about it, it isn’t much of a surprise. Tora had hated him on sight, after all. And it wasn’t just an initial dislike. No, it was a full on hate filled grudge that clearly had history. Sakura laughs a little, nodding as Kakashi let his arm drop back down. Sakura mulls over her thoughts for awhile. Now that she knows, her curiosity is piqued. 

“Sensei, just how many ninken do you have, by any chance?” Sakura asks Kakashi, lifting her chin to look at him. Her sensei’s visible eye squints mischievously, and suddenly Sakura feels as if she shouldn’t have asked.

“Oh? You want to meet them?” Kakashi’s already reaching into his thigh pouch as he speaks. Sakura knows that no matter how she responds, she is about to get completely covered in dog. 

“Uh, sure?” Sakura squeaks, turning over and bringer her legs up to her chest. Her ear is now pressed against Kakashi’s thigh and she can’t see his face, but she can all but _hear_ the jōnin’s mischievous expression. 

“ _*Kuchiyose no Jutsu!_ ” For a brief moment, nothing but smoke fills Sakura’s vision. Then the sounds of yips and barks fill her ears, and there are dogs everywhere. Sakura goes to sit up, but Kakashi keeps her laying down with a gentle hand. There are eight new chakra signatures on Sakura’s radar, and she marks them as branches of Kakashi. It will keep her from startling next time. She knows that her sensei would never harm her. She thinks back to training. At least, not maliciously. Despite getting the feeling that at least a few of the ninken can speak fluently, they also seem good at reading the atmosphere. Because as soon as they see Sakura, they all quickly quiet, trotting over and laying on or next to the resting shinobi. The pug, from what Sakura can tell, walks confidently up to her, curling into the curve of her stomach. He’s warm, so Sakura doesn’t mind much. It is still early in the day, so the morning chill has yet to leave. Kakashi puts the scroll away after all of the ninken are settled. Sakura knows from her studies that the only reason he even pulled out the scroll was because he couldn’t place his hand on the ground. Her head was still resting on his thigh after all. Kakashi returns to carding his fingers through her hair and talks idly.

“The pug curled up next to you is Pakkun. The bulldog at my feet is Buru, and the collie next to him is Akino.” Sakura adds mental notes to the ninken’s chakra signatures as Kakashi names them off. Ūhei and Urushi are a greyhound and akita breed respectively. The former is leaning vertically against Kakashi’s over leg, while the former is a warm presence pressed up against Sakura’s back. The last three are mutts, and Kakashi clearly doesn’t know which breeds mixed to produce them.

“The rest of my ninken are Shiba, Bisuke, and Guruko. They’re the ones piled on each other in between my legs.” Sakura laughs softly at that, noting the top of the aforementioned puppy pile peeking just over Kakashi’s leg. They stay like that for hours. Just enjoying each other’s company and the another-world-like quality that always envelopes this hill. Separated from the rest of reality. Sakura moves at some point of course. She doesn’t want Kakashi’s leg to fall asleep like her arms did. But still, they sit there in the quiet. Listening to the quiet melodies of the rivers. At some point, it begins to lightly rain. The Hashirama tree protects them completely from getting wet. The branches weave together tightly in order to keep Sakura dry. She taps an exposed root with her finger, sending a thankful pulse of chakra. Because they don’t have to move, the rest of the world seems that much more distant.

And it is in those quiet moments that Sakura finally realises her nindō. It’s odd, the way it all comes together. She expected to create one after a meaningful experience, like Naruto. Or a tragic event, like Kakashi. Instead, it has been days since Wave. And finally her thoughts have settled on one thing. Just as Naruto and Sasuke appear running up the hill. She vows to herself.

_‘To protect my precious people. To cherish them and keep them close. To_ **_never_ ** _have to bury their ashes.’_

That, Sakura decides. Her drive as a shinobi, her determination to train and grow. That will be the reason behind her every action. The hope of her life. That is it. Gentle thunder echoes from the sky, cloudcover now completely over all of the sky that Sakura can see. The song of storms chimes faintly in her ears, separating this hill from all other sound. She hears nothing but the brush of leaves, the pattering of rain and the lullaby of half-forgotten chimes. In this little world away from everything else, Sakura changes. With her sensei by her side and her teammates stepping in, she promises. 

“Hey Sakura-chan! Whoa sensei, I didn’t know you had ninken.”

And as she does so, the world tilts on its axis.

“Hn. It’s good that you’re resting.”

A little off the rails. A little to the left.

“Quiet down will you? Sakura-chan is sleeping.”

  
A hundred stones shift across the seabed, imperfect and uneven kanji chipped into them by an unpracticed hand. Ten days pass after a moment that rocks through time, breaking something that was once set in stone. And Sakura, the one behind it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Kuchiyose no Jutsu; Summoning Technique


End file.
